Trachea into left and right main bronchi. The trachea begins level with the sixth cervical vertebra and the carina is found at the level of the fifth thoracic vertebra (T5), opposite the sternal angle and can be positioned up to two vertebrae lower or higher, depending on breathing. The trachea is surrounded by rings of hyaline cartilage; these rings are incomplete and C-shaped. The cricoid cartilage is attached to the first tracheal ring at top of the trachea and acts as the bottom of the larynx. There are fifteen to twenty rings in total, separated by narrow intervals. These reinforce the
Effect of spaceflight on the human body reduce their aerobic capacity, and slow down their cardiovascular system. As the human body consists mostly of fluids, gravity tends to force them into the lower half of the body, and our bodies have many systems to balance this situation. When released from the pull of gravity, these systems continue to work, causing a general redistribution of fluids into the upper half of the body. This is the cause of the round-faced 'puffiness' seen in astronauts. Redistributing fluids around the body itself causes balance disorders, distorted vision, and a loss of taste and smell. A 2006 Space Shuttle experiment found