Human Body Facts
Science has revealed that the human body is made up of millions and millions of atoms… For example, I am made up of 5.8×10 27 atoms.
– A. P. J. Abdul Kalam
Human body is a veritable treasure trove of fun facts, amazing processes and high strength. It is incredible to learn about the capability of the organs and how they function together in a seamless manner to create us – humans.
Here are some of the amazing facts:
1. Babies Have More Bones
We all know that humans have 206 bones. But, did you know that babies have 300 bones when they are born! Many of these bones fuse together as we grow older and taller, resulting in 206 bones in adults.
2. You Glow in the Dark
Well, at least technically you do. Human bodies are bioluminescent, meaning we emit light (just like fireflies or glow worms). This is mostly as a result of a metabolic reaction in which free radicals are produced through cell respiration, causing us to glow. The main difference is that while our eyes can detect the light from fireflies, the light we emit is 1,000 times weaker than the human eye can detect.
3. Saliva Factory
Our mouths seem to be a saliva factory, producing almost 1 litre of saliva a day! That is over 35,000 litres in your lifetime. Ugh!
4. Strongest Muscle
The strongest muscle based on its weight is the masseter (or the jaw). With all muscles of the jaw working together it can close the teeth with a force as great as 25 kilograms (55 pounds) on the incisors or 90.7 kilograms (200 pounds) on the molars.
Did you know that the word “muscle” comes from Latin term meaning “little mouse“, which is what Ancient Romans thought flexed bicep muscles resembled?
5. Pinky Finger – The Mini Powerhouse
Being small in size doesn’t make it weak. The pinky finger, despite being the smallest finger contributes around 30% to the total grip strength (some even say 50%, but a study published in Journal of Hand Surgery in 2014 showed it to be around 30%).
6. Liver is the Superhero of Our Body
Liver is the only organ that can regenerate itself. It can regrow to a normal size even after up to 90% of it has been removed.
7. New Skin
Skin is the largest organ in the body. The entire surface of your skin is replaced every month (approx. 27 days). This means you lose approximately 4kg of skin cells every year! Most of the dead skin cells settle down as dust in our homes.
Also Read Other Articles in 10 Interesting Fact Series
8. Strong Bite
Human teeth are just as strong as shark teeth. Even though our teeth are made of softer mineral than that found in sharks, the Journal of Structural Biology suggests that they’re just as tough. Researchers have found that the enameloid coating on shark teeth is as hard as the enamel on a human wisdom tooth!
9. Taller in the Morning
Did you know that you’re taller in the morning than at night? This is due to a change in the intervertebral discs (mainly composed of fluid) which lie between the vertebrae in the spine. During the day, due to continuous movements, the fluid decreases, causing the height to decrease marginally. We gain this fluid back, when we sleep at night, thus making us taller in the morning.
Did you know that the human body can grow up to three percent taller in space?
10. Stomach Can Digest Metal
Yes, you heard that right! Your stomach has a very high pH level (in simple English, it is very acidic). This acid is so strong that it can even partially break down metal like razor blades (do not try it though!) No wonder acidity is so disturbing.
Sources:
The Intelligent Parent 