It is fair to say that the human body is never going to stop fascinating us. Here are some interesting lesser-known facts about our bodies.
Adults Have Fewer Bones Than Babies
An adult has around 206 bones. But babies have around 300. This is because several bones are fused when we become adults that are often separate bones in babies. For instance, the skull has a ‘soft spot’, which cartilages between bones that have not yet fused.
Goosebumps Keep You Warm
Those goosebumps you get during that horror movie that sends shivers down your spine or chills on a nippy day? This is your body trying to keep you warm. The goosebumps fluff up your hair, which can then trap air underneath to keep you warm. Hair is pulled upright by a small muscle, the arrector pili.
Stars And Stripes
Known as Blaschko lines, the human body has stripes that show when our cells are dividing and our body is growing in utero. These identical rows of cells do not look like stripes most of the time because they are so similar-looking. However, sometimes a powerful UV light may reveal them!
It’s in Your DNA
Genetically, 99.9% of all human DNA is similar. The difference is 0.1%. That’s pretty close, wouldn't you say?
The Truth Behind Your Teeth
Teeth are not bones. They have an enamel coating (the hardest substance in the human body) and comprise dentin underneath with a pulp full of nerves and blood vessels. Bones, on the other hand, have fatty marrow on the inside, with a membrane outside. Bone is packed with blood vessels and collagen; neither of which the hard parts of teeth have.