Do vampires need to breathe?

[Terabith]

I mean, they're not alive, right, so maybe they don't?  But if they don't need to breathe, they could go scuba diving with no air!  I was thinking they could go hang out in the really deep water where there's no light, but probably the water pressure would be a problem, even for vampires, do you think?  

[KidsHappen]

They don't need to breathe and they don't have breath so can't perform CPR. It does seem that the pressure would be an issue but technically there are only a few ways to kill them: beheading, stake to the heart, fire (or possibly sunlight). Don't ask me how I know all of this.

[MercyA]

Yes.

Wait, no. I answered too quickly. Carry on...

Edited January 21, 2022 by MercyA

[Janeway]

Have you all been reading or watching "Discovery of Witches?"

[Terabith]

8 minutes ago, Janeway said:

Have you all been reading or watching "Discovery of Witches?"

No, but I'm googling now and it sounds kinda fun.  

[Moonhawk]

OMG, this is why we haven't found any real stories/proof of vampires in the age of video!

They probably figured this out ages ago (yay for immortality) and decided just to get away from the humans and their drama and garlic and set up colonies on the ocean floor. No sunlight, no stakes, just vampires going on with their daily lives. Maybe fish blood is their version of vegetarian. Water pressure doesn't necessarily have to be a problem -- no lungs to collapse, and maybe the immortal-bit of their body can keep its shape under the water despite heavier than air. They are called night-walkers, not necessarily earth-walkers, so water-walkers isn't out of the question by that definition.

Jean-Michel Cousteau, we have a job for you!

[Faith-manor]

Anatomical question. They speak. But speech is created when air is forced over the vocal cords causing them to vibrate. So if they don't have lungs, and do not breathe, how can they speak? What is the mechanism?

Also, what is their blood circulating? It takes a stake to the heart to kill them, but what is the heart for if not circulating hemoglobin?

Aliens. I am voting that they are aliens, maybe from Jupiter. That seems right. 😁

[chocolate-chip chooky]

@Terabith I imagine you would be a very cool person to know in real life.

[Terabith]

6 minutes ago, Faith-manor said:

Anatomical question. They speak. But speech is created when air is forced over the vocal cords causing them to vibrate. So if they don't have lungs, and do not breathe, how can they speak? What is the mechanism?

Also, what is their blood circulating? It takes a stake to the heart to kill them, but what is the heart for if not circulating hemoglobin?

Aliens. I am voting that they are aliens, maybe from Jupiter. That seems right. 😁

I assume they CAN breathe, voluntarily.  But is it necessary?  

[Terabith]

Weird historical anachronisms:  Bram Stoker's Dracula was written in 1897.  Sears was founded in 1893.  Also, jeans were totally a thing by 1897.  

I want to see a tv show where Dracula goes shopping at Sears for jeans.  

[Kareni]

Here you go, @Terabith...

Look.

Regards,

Kareni

[prairiewindmomma]

The books I have read are divided on this point. Largely, if vampires are thought of as dead people resurrected and cursed, no, they do not breathe. If vampires are instead a separate blood drinking species (Dark series by Christine Feehan, Blood and Ash series by Jennifer Armentrout) that we only think of as vampires, then yes, they do breathe. 🤦🤷‍♀️  ETA: neither sets are required to breathe for “life”

Edited January 21, 2022 by prairiewindmomma

[Slache]

No. If so, suffocation would be a known method of killing them.

[KidsHappen]

1 hour ago, Terabith said:

I assume they CAN breathe, voluntarily.  But is it necessary?  

According to Angel on the first season of Buffy he is not even capable of providing breath to give Buffy CPR when she drowns. 

[KidsHappen]

2 hours ago, Faith-manor said:

Anatomical question. They speak. But speech is created when air is forced over the vocal cords causing them to vibrate. So if they don't have lungs, and do not breathe, how can they speak? What is the mechanism?

Also, what is their blood circulating? It takes a stake to the heart to kill them, but what is the heart for if not circulating hemoglobin?

Aliens. I am voting that they are aliens, maybe from Jupiter. That seems right. 😁

You make many good points. I am just going to attribute it to supernatural powers.

[Tap]

They are either undead or blood-sucking creatures, depending on who you ask.  

 

If you believe they are the undead.....making them dead (no breathing) isn't possible. If you try to make them dead, they just undead again!!  It is like they have a handful of reverse, skips and draw 4s.

If you believe they are blood-sucking creatures who are not the undead.....well then they must be dead. And breathing is part of not being dead. Obviously, they can't be a dead undead creature!! That is just silly talk!

Edited January 21, 2022 by Tap

[Tanaqui]

1 hour ago, KidsHappen said:

According to Angel on the first season of Buffy he is not even capable of providing breath to give Buffy CPR when she drowns. 

Which is ridiculous, because he can talk. Spike even smokes! But no, Angel can move his diaphragm to talk but not to pump oxygen into Buffy's lungs? Whatever.

Headcanon: Angel doesn't understand science, because he wasn't interested in the subject as an inebriated human back in Ye Olden Tymes, he wasn't interested in it as an evil vampire, and he wasn't interested in it as a broody ensoulled vampire. He's therefore fuzzy on areas where science and Buffyverse magic intersect, even when it directly affects him.

[KidsHappen]

2 hours ago, Tanaqui said:

Which is ridiculous, because he can talk. Spike even smokes! But no, Angel can move his diaphragm to talk but not to pump oxygen into Buffy's lungs? Whatever.

Headcanon: Angel doesn't understand science, because he wasn't interested in the subject as an inebriated human back in Ye Olden Tymes, he wasn't interested in it as an evil vampire, and he wasn't interested in it as a broody ensoulled vampire. He's therefore fuzzy on areas where science and Buffyverse magic intersect, even when it directly affects him.

It's possible. Even at the time I thought well certainly he could at least do chest compressions but I understand that the point of that scene was to make Xander the hero. Although later on Angel he was buried in a metal box at sea for maybe 6-9 months and neither the lack of air or pressure killed him. So apparently he could breathe but did not need to. And I do agree that given his age I would have expected him to be a little brighter than he was but then I may be biased as he was never my favorite vampire.

[Eos]

6 hours ago, Tap said:

If you try to make them dead, they just undead again!! 

Can I get a sentence diagram here?  It's WTM, after all.

[Emba]

I have always assumed that they did not need to breath, but could voluntarily do it when necessary to talk or blend in with humans. I am assuming traditional supernatural undead here, not some separate species that is alive in its own unusual way. 
 

being supernatural, and undead, I am imagining underwater colonies might work, but if the pressure was too great they’d just exist in some sort of twilight  sleep until conditions were right to heal and regenerate.

i have always found pictures of underwater wrecks super scary. I cannot tell you how creepy I find the thought of them being colonized by the undead.

[alisoncooks]

Well, my vampire knowledge is largely limited to Twilight. I’m not proud of this fact. That said, iirc, Edward says that while he doesn’t have to breathe, he finds it uncomfortable to have his sense of smell blocked, so he breathes. Cause, ya know, predators and smell and all. 

(I’ve also read Discovery of Witches but can’t remember anything relevant…)

[Janeway]

45 minutes ago, alisoncooks said:

Well, my vampire knowledge is largely limited to Twilight. I’m not proud of this fact. That said, iirc, Edward says that while he doesn’t have to breathe, he finds it uncomfortable to have his sense of smell blocked, so he breathes. Cause, ya know, predators and smell and all. 

(I’ve also read Discovery of Witches but can’t remember anything relevant…)

The vampires breathe, slowly, and they inhale the smells of others.

[Spryte]

I’m going with no breathing, they don’t require air, but can choose to breathe/talk.

Anne Rice vampires — some had the experience of being underwater for long periods. Survived, but not pretty. 
 

Someone needs to ask Sam and Dean.

Edited January 21, 2022 by Spryte

[Guest]

11 hours ago, Kareni said:

Here you go, @Terabith...

Look.

Regards,

Kareni

I swear, @Kareni can find *anything* on the web.

[Lady Florida.]

59 minutes ago, Quill said:

I swear, @Kareni can find *anything* on the web.

That was my thought as I pictured her googling "vampires in blue jeans" 🤣

Edited January 21, 2022 by Lady Florida.

[Murphy101]

14 hours ago, Terabith said:

I mean, they're not alive, right, so maybe they don't?  But if they don't need to breathe, they could go scuba diving with no air!  I was thinking they could go hang out in the really deep water where there's no light, but probably the water pressure would be a problem, even for vampires, do you think?  

I think they morph into giant squid and octopus down there. 

I don’t think they are dead? Just a crazy low metabolism that makes them seem dead. Which as a person with low blood pressure and insomnia - I totally identify with.  I think that’s why they always go for the sleeping drugged out acting damsel.  And the only way can make money is just investing.  Not gonna cut it that 9-5 every day work routine.

Poor vampires. So misunderstood. 

[Tap]

4 hours ago, Eos said:

Can I get a sentence diagram here?  It's WTM, after all.

I was thinking originally if you diagram her question, we get vampires who breath so maybe that is the answer! 

[fraidycat]

1 hour ago, Murphy101 said:

And the only way can make money is just investing.

Think of all the compounding gains! Is that why vampires are rich? Hundreds of years in the market?

Edited January 21, 2022 by fraidycat

[Murphy101]

25 minutes ago, fraidycat said:

Think of all the compounding gains! Is that why vampires are rich? Hundreds of years in the market?

Seem like it to me.  The only ones I’ve read with jobs are in Trueblood and Real Vampires have Curves. 

[Terabith]

9-5 jobs would be a huge issue with the whole daylight thing, but I would think they'd be highly sought after for night shift work?  And they have all this time for education...I'd think vampire ER doctors would be highly sought after?  

[fraidycat]

13 minutes ago, Terabith said:

9-5 jobs would be a huge issue with the whole daylight thing, but I would think they'd be highly sought after for night shift work?  And they have all this time for education...I'd think vampire ER doctors would be highly sought after?  

Except for that whole blood-thirst thing. Maybe ER is not the best place for them. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[Terabith]

6 minutes ago, fraidycat said:

Except for that whole blood-thirst thing. Maybe ER is not the best place for them. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Yeah, I guess it depends on how well under control the blood thirst is.  

[Tap]

29 minutes ago, Terabith said:

9-5 jobs would be a huge issue with the whole daylight thing, but I would think they'd be highly sought after for night shift work?  And they have all this time for education...I'd think vampire ER doctors would be highly sought after?  

They would be great to assist with swelling!!

[JFSinIL]

Just have to say I LOVE this thread!