From conception to decomposition, the human body works like no other machine. It is a wonder to be sure, and you’d have to be a doctor or scientist to truly understand how it all works.
The good news is we can simplify explanations and share a few good facts about our bodies. So go through this list and learn a little more about that incredible frame of yours.
Cells every second
Your body is constantly producing new cells. Every second, your body produces 3.8 million new cells.
Bacteria friendly host
You have more bacteria in your body than cells. There are about 10 times more bacteria cells in your body than human cells.
Hard to stomach this fact
Your stomach acid is strong enough to dissolve metal. However, your stomach lining is protected from the acid by a layer of mucus.
Bone appetit
Your bones are constantly being remodeled. Your bones are constantly being broken down and rebuilt. This process is called bone remodeling.
Talk about racking up the miles
You have about 60,000 miles of blood vessels in your body. That’s enough to wrap around the Earth twice.
Literally beats for you
Your heart beats about 100,000 times a day. That’s about 36 million times a year.
This is why we should keep the air clean
You breathe about 22,000 times a day. That’s about 7 million times a year.
Blink and you’ll miss it
You blink about 20 times a minute. That’s about 14,400-19,200 times a day.
Drool is cool
You produce about 2 pints of saliva a day. That’s enough to fill a water bottle.
You literally shed the past
You lose about 77 pounds of skin in your lifetime. That’s about the weight of a young child.
While some barely grow at all
You grow about 10 inches taller between the ages of 12 and 18.
Mentally drained is a real thing
Your brain uses about 20% of your body’s energy. That’s even more than your heart.
Can you name them though?
Your eyes can see about 1 million different colors.
The flavors of the world
You have about 10,000 taste buds on your tongue and they are replaced every two weeks or so.
The old factory that smells
You have about 5 million olfactory receptors in your nose. These receptors are responsible for your sense of smell.
Flex them
You have about 650 muscles in your body, but only about 30 of them are used for facial expressions.
Remember to keep it cool
Your body temperature is about 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, but it can vary by as much as 1 degree depending on your activity level.
1.5 gallons a minute.
Your heart stays hard at work pumping about 1.5 gallons of blood every minute.
Best part is it’s free
Your lungs can hold about 6 liters of air, but you only use about 1 liter at a time when you breathe normally.
Put it to good use
Your brain weighs about 3 pounds, but it uses about 20% of your body’s energy.
Not just skin deep
Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and it covers about 2 square meters.
Enjoy that buffet
Your stomach can hold about 1 liter of food, but it can stretch to hold up to 4 liters.
All curled up inside of you
Your intestines are about 20 feet long, but they can stretch to be about 25 feet long.
Kidding not about those kidneys
Your kidneys filter about 200 liters of blood per day, but they only produce about 1.5 liters of urine.
That liver is pretty tough
Fingernails grow faster than toenails
They grow about 3.5 millimeters per month, compared to toenails, which grow about 1.6 millimeters per month. This is generally because fingernails endure more mechanical stress and exposure, promoting growth.
The cornea is the only tissue in the human body without blood vessels
It receives oxygen directly through the air. The lack of vasculature allows the cornea to remain clear and unclouded, offering a precise window through which light can enter the eye.
Humans shed about 600,000 particles of skin every hour
This equates to about 1.5 pounds a year, contributing significantly to household dust. Regular skin shedding allows for the replacement of old cells with new, healthier ones, maintaining skin integrity and function.
The human brain generates about 20 watts of electrical power
This amount of power can sustain a low-wattage LED light. This electrical power is generated through the biological activity of neurons and other cells in the brain.
The enamel on the top surface of your tooth is the hardest part of your entire body
It is highly mineralized and primarily composed of hydroxyapatite, a crystalline structure made of calcium and phosphate. This hard substance protects your teeth from decay and physical damage.
Newborns have 300 bones, but adults have only 206
This happens because, as we grow, some bones fuse together. The process is part of natural development, accommodating changes in the body as it matures.
The human body contains enough iron to make a metal nail up to 3 inches long
This iron is distributed in the hemoglobin of the blood and various other organ tissues throughout the body. It is a vital element, helping to transport oxygen in the bloodstream.
Human bones can withstand 19,000 lbs/sq in
This is about four times the amount that concrete can bear, showcasing the remarkable strength and engineering of the human skeletal system, designed to protect vital organs and support our physical activity.
The average person will breathe in about 44 pounds of dust over their lifetime
This fact emphasizes the importance of regular cleaning and maintenance of living spaces to minimize dust inhalation and its potential health impacts.
Your left lung is 10 percent smaller than your right lung
This difference in size allows for the heart to fit better in the chest cavity. Despite this size difference, both lungs are still vital for respiration and oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange.
Your nose can remember 50,000 different scents
This is a testament to the complex nature of the olfactory system, which allows humans to detect and differentiate a wide variety of odors, helping in various tasks such as food tasting and danger detection.
Each kidney contains 1 million individual filters
They can filter an average of 1.3 liters of blood per minute, removing toxins and waste materials, highlighting the kidneys’ critical role in maintaining the body’s homeostatic balance.
The human body can boil half a gallon of water in 30 minutes
Through metabolic processes generating heat, our bodies showcase the remarkable energy production and dissipation capabilities necessary for maintaining a stable internal environment.
Humans and giraffes have the same number of neck vertebrae
Despite their long necks, giraffes have only seven neck vertebrae, the same as humans, illustrating the fascinating ways evolutionary paths can diverge while maintaining fundamental similarities.
An adult human is composed of around 7 octillion atoms
This mind-boggling number indicates the complex and intricate makeup of the human body at a microscopic level, a testament to the marvels of biological engineering.
Over a lifetime, an average person produces about 25,000 quarts of saliva
This is enough to fill two swimming pools, underscoring saliva’s crucial role in initiating digestion and helping to maintain oral hygiene.
Your body has a slightly different set of microbiomes in the morning than in the evening
This circadian rhythm in microbial composition is influenced by various factors including diet and sleep patterns, affecting digestion and potentially the person’s health.
The average human body carries ten times more bacterial cells than human cells
This reflects a symbiotic relationship where bacteria help in various functions such as digestion, while the body provides a hospitable environment for the bacteria, highlighting the interconnectedness of life forms.
There are more than 100 different viruses that can cause a cold
This large variety makes it challenging to create a one-size-fits-all solution for common colds and explains why people can catch colds repeatedly throughout their lives.
Humans are bioluminescent
Although the light emitted is 1,000 times weaker than what our eyes can perceive, it’s a fascinating insight into the biochemical reactions happening in our bodies that can emit photons, showcasing the lesser-known luminescent properties of biological organisms.
Humans share 50% of their DNA with bananas
This surprising genetic overlap illustrates the fundamental biological building blocks shared across various life forms on Earth, showcasing the interconnectedness of life through evolutionary history.
A human fetus acquires fingerprints at the age of three months
This happens when fetal skin cells die and peel off, creating unique ridge patterns, a characteristic that later becomes critical for identity verification and forensic analysis.
Your small intestine is roughly four times as long as your height
Despite being compactly folded in the abdominal cavity, it plays a critical role in nutrient absorption, leveraging its considerable length to maximize surface area for digestion.
There are more bacteria in your mouth than there are people on Earth
This vast microbial community plays both beneficial and potentially harmful roles, aiding in the breakdown of food while also potentially contributing to oral diseases.
Sneezes regularly exceed 100 mph, while coughs clock in at about 60 mph
This demonstrates the body’s powerful mechanism to expel irritants from the nose or throat, potentially helping to prevent infection by clearing out viruses or bacteria.
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