lungs

[steveb]

would having only one lung reduce your life expectancy?

[Chessman]

Most probably, lots of variables though, my father contracted TB in 1949, by the time he died, in 1985, he was down to half a lung, but it was a stroke that killed him, not lack of a set of lungs. I think you've asked a question that has no one answer.

[Peter Pedant]

yes definitely

It could be tested by seeing what the mortality/death rate of the one lunged is compared to us with two.

Definitely lower.

[loudickson71]

how do you figure that out, Peter?

[LazyGun]

I dont really see why having a single lung, in the absence of any other medical issues, should reduce mortality. The body is extraordinarily adaptive, and the fact that we have two is a kind of back up process anyways ;)

Of course, if someone has lost a lung due to for example lung cancer through smoking, then that would be an entirely different story ;)