Researchers show that both mice and pigs are capable of oxygenating their blood via the colon—a capacity that, if shared by humans, could be leveraged in the clinic to minimize the need for mechanical ventilation.
Blue sharks don't dive as deeply in low-oxygen waters—which become more prevalent as oceans warm—effectively pushing them into areas of high fishing pressure.
In humans, higher oxygen levels during ventilation are tied to an altered bacterial composition in the lungs, and mouse experiments show a causative link.
For the Physiology or Medicine award, Peter Ratcliffe, William Kaelin, and Gregg Semenza are credited with figuring out molecular and genetic responses to oxygen levels.