There’s much to discover about your body – from knowing that your eyes blink 20 times per minute to understanding that earwax is actually an outpour of sweat.
Humans are truly amazing machines! Discover fascinating facts about your body that will leave you dumbfounded.
1. The human brain is the largest organ in the body
Human brains weigh roughly three pounds, serving as the center for intelligence, interpretation of sensory data interpretation, initiator of body movement and controller of behavior. While the brain consumes lots of energy and consumes much of one’s personal resources for functioning optimally, its largest organ in terms of size isn’t actually it; that distinction belongs to skin which covers up to 15 percent of total weight while protecting us against physical, thermal, UV radiation injuries as well as producing vitamin D production.
The brain consists of neurons (nervous cells), which relay messages via electrical and chemical signals throughout the nervous system. There are two different types of neurons: glial cells and nerve cells. Glial cells outnumber neurons ten-to-one; previously thought to serve only as support cells but now known to amplify neural signals and play vital roles within our minds.
These cells are organized into various areas, the largest being the cerebrum. It is surrounded by four ventricles that produce cerebrospinal fluid that flows around and protects both the brain and spinal cord before being absorbed into the bloodstream.
Human eyes move 20 times a minute, and each blink can cover an area twice the size of their entire eye. Our heart pumps approximately 2,500 gallons of blood every day; children who breathe through their mouth instead of nose have an increased risk of developing lisps; extraocular muscles are the fastest muscles in our bodies, able to move both eyes in tandem in just 50 milliseconds. While scientists once believed that each part of their cerebral cortex performed its own individual task, we now understand that large areas work in harmony to complete tasks collectively.
2. The human body is made up of a trillion cells
Your body is composed of trillions of cells that work in unison to carry out essential survival tasks. Each cell is different; no two share identical proteins – this explains why cancer is such a dangerous threat: mutations can uncontrollably grow and divide, ultimately overpowering any healthy cells around them.
Your brain contains approximately 86 billion neurons that connect to other cells to form thoughts and actions, while there are more than 200 different kinds of cells within the human body, each performing its own task. Cells of similar kind group together to form tissues; those from diverse types combine into organs.
Your body is continuously producing new cells – each minute it creates 25 million more. Although these new cells may look identical to your older ones, their genetic information differs and will serve a different function over time.
Scientists estimate the human body contains 30 trillion cells. But this estimate should only be considered an approximation, since cells constantly die off while new ones form simultaneously – and each person’s actual number of cells will depend on factors like age, height, weight and health status.
Scientists have also determined that there are approximately 38 trillion bacterial cells living within our bodies. These microbes play an essential role in many bodily processes ranging from digestion to immunity. Previous estimates suggested there were 10 times more bacteria cells than human ones; however, new research shows otherwise.
3. The human body is made up of 206 bones
Human bodies contain 206 bones that vary in shape and size. Some bones are long and thick like the femur bone in your leg; others thin and flat like the sternum in your chest; still others irregular like the stirrup bone found within an ear canal.
Your skeleton provides support and protection for the rest of your body while also enabling movement and bending. Your skeleton consists of two networks of bones – the axial (spine and ribcage) and appendicular skeleton (arms and legs), each consisting of 206 bones in your body including skull, spine, ribs, arms, legs; these bone cells contain connective tissue reinforced with calcium as well as blood vessels and nerves for optimal performance.
There are three types of bones: long bones, short bones and irregular bones. Long bones are longer and thinner than their counterparts and help you move and bend with greater ease, while short bones provide support by being wider and flatter. Irregular bones don’t fit neatly into any category or subcategory.
Although most people perceive bones to be static in nature, they’re actually living tissue that undergoes continual remodelling processes aided by regular physical exercise and a healthy diet – something which helps ensure stronger and healthier bones for our future generations.
4. The human body is made up of 2.5 million sweat pores
Human anatomy is truly incredible and has many interesting facts and secrets, from blinking your eyes 20 times every minute (that adds up to 10 million times annually!) to our eyes not having blood supplies but still receiving oxygen directly from the air! 4. Humans possess 2.5 million sweat pores each hour while we shed over 30,000 dead skin cells daily! Finally, as we age we begin losing taste buds; women experience this sooner while men often wait until their 60s before this occurs.
6. There are more than 600 muscles in a human body; Gluteus Maximus in your hips being the largest. 7. An average person farts enough per day to fill a party balloon. 8. You are approximately 1cm taller in the morning than you were at night because soft cartilage in bones gets squashed down during day. 9. Your heart muscle never tires out. 10. On average you shed one new skin every month on your entire body surface.
An average human has 2.5 million sweat glands spread across their dermis layer of skin. Each gland consists of long coils of cells with ducts to connect hair follicles and pores on its surface; these glands produce salt and water for cooling the body.
5. The human body is made up of earwax
Earwax is a sticky and shiny substance that coats our ears to moisturize them and fight infection, as well as to keep dust, dirt and insects out. Earwax is produced in the outer part of our ear canal where thousands of glands reside; it contains cerumen derived from dead skin cells to keep earwax moist while keeping it from becoming too dry; our body naturally produces it on an ongoing basis, but sometimes this production can become unruly if we’re not careful enough with application! Earwax production occurs regularly by glands located throughout this outer part of ear canal with hundreds of glands producing wax; when exposed to dust or insects entering through its opening; dust will likely enters via our external auditory canal or via external auditory canal opening.
Human bodies are astonishing systems that perform amazing feats without our knowing it, such as opening and closing our eyelids automatically and surviving six minutes without oxygen – truly amazing feats that go undetected by us humans! If you want to discover even more amazing and weird facts about them, check out these Science-Backed Health Facts That Will Blow Your Mind.
There are two forms of earwax: wet and dry. Which type you have depends on your genetic makeup; those who possess wet earwax often hail from East Asian origins like China and Korea while people with dry earwax typically hail from African or Caucasian backgrounds.
Human hearts typically pump approximately 100,000 times every day and consume roughly 2,000 gallons of blood daily to move throughout their bodies. Every minute you shed over 30,000 dead skin cells which are replaced with fresh ones by replacing over 1,000 new cells a day with dead ones shed daily by your immune system. Our bones consist of calcium phosphate sodium collagen composite material. After seven years our bodies regenerate a brand new skeleton.