Even though mankind has been around for centuries, there is still a lot that we do not know about the body. Scientists are constantly revealing new things about the body every day and some of them can be a surprise to us.
Did you know that the human body is made up of 7 octillion atoms? Yes that’s right I said 7 octillion, which looks like this 7,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000,000. Did you also know that that the human stomach is so powerful that it has the ability to absorb metal?
It’s true, but I don’t recommend you trying to eat a metal rod. Another fun fact is that we have a trillion nerves that are powering our memory. One study illustrated that after viewing 2,500 images for only 3 seconds, the participants could recall if they had seen the image or not with 92% accuracy. The bottom line is that the human body is so unique that there will always be something new and exciting that will surprise anyone. Below you will find more surprising facts about the body that will surprise you.
Your Stomach: As I mentioned above, the stomach is the most powerful organ in the body, so it’s no surprise when I say that it has the ability to dissolve a razor blade. Again I will tell you that you should not test this fact, just accept it.
Digestive System: There are many procedures and transplants that remove certain organs from our body and still allow us to live. So it’s no surprise that you could live without a stomach, 75% of your liver, one kidney, a spleen, 80% of our intestines, and any other organ in the groin area.
Epidermis: Our epidermis is the upper or outer layer of the two main cells that make up the skin. Did you know that it regenerates every 2-4 weeks? In a full year, we lose about 0.7 kg of dead skin.
Bones: Our bones keep us upright, they keep is moving and if they’re weren’t strong, life would be a mess. So did you know that the bones of the average person can withstand 16,000 people standing on them?
Eye Color: As we get older, our eyes have the ability to change color. This happens to 10 to 15 percent of the Caucasian population. However, if you’re an adult and your eye color changes dramatically, or if one eye changes color, you need to see a doctor. This can be a warning sign of certain diseases.
The Lung: Do you like tennis? It’s a tough sport to play, a lot of surface area to cover in such a little amount of time. Speaking of tennis though, did you know that the lung has the same surface area as a tennis court?
Hair: The human hair is extremely strong. Pulling it out hurts, and for some people, it takes almost a lifetime for it to fall out. But did you know that the human hair has the ability to hold the weight of two elephants? That is almost 12 tons of weight.
Survival: As humans, we complain when we’re hungry and we complain when we are tired. But if you had to choose to either sleep to live, or eat to live, which one would you choose? Well, we can live for three weeks without food, but after 11 days of no sleep, our body will begin to shut down.
Pinky Finger: For many people, especially athletes, the hands are one of the most important parts of the body. If you were to lose your pinky finger, you would lose 50% of the strength in your hand. Remember, “pinky out.”
The Jaw: Some people believe the strongest muscle in the body is the bicep, others believe it’s the back, but both those people are wrong. The strongest muscle in the body is the masseter – the jaw.
Small Intestine: Don’t let the name fool you, our small intestine is actually quite large. In fact, it is as long as four people’s height.
Blood: Without blood in our body, we cannot survive. So it’s no surprise when I tell you that our body has 60,000 miles of blood vessels.
Rare Eyes: People who have albinism often have violet or red eyes. Because these people lack pigment in their iris, light can bounce off the back of their eye and then exit.
Sweat: If you’re a healthy individual then you should not be disgusted when you sweat, but be relieved. The average healthy person can produce 4 gallons of sweat per day.
Heat: Our bodies need to maintain a hot temperature in order for the blood to flow through our body properly. So it’s no surprise when I tell you that we produce enough body heat in 30 minutes to boil half a gallon of water.
Saliva: Saliva may gross you out but it’s essential for our oral organs. Well, this may also gross you out, during a lifetime we can produce enough saliva to fill two swimming pools.
Bending Fingers and Tongue: Some people have the ability to cross their fingers in strange ways or bend their tongue in different ways. It’s not only due to skills, but also due to genetics.
Did you know that the only part of the body that has zero blood supply is the cornea? The oxygen it receives comes from the air, not blood from the body.
Human Brain: If you’ve lived for 100 years, there is a lot of information that has been stored. The human brain storage capacity works out to roughly 2.5 petabytes. That is enough storage to keep over 4,000 years of mp3 files to continue running.
Sneezing: When you sneeze does it feel like your whole body was shaking? Well, you wouldn’t be far off if that was your first thought. When you sneeze, your entire body functions stop entirely, even your heart.
Nerve Impulses: When you receive nerve pulses from your brain, they are moving at 274km/h. That is crazy fast! You better tell those nerves to slow down a bit or you’re getting a ticket!
Blood: If you live the average life expectancy, you will pump 182 million liters of blood. If that blood were oil, it would work out to $44 million.
Right vs. Left: Studies have shown that right-handed individuals live an average of nine years more than left-handed individuals.
Kissing: Kissing is an essential part of a relationship. It creates a natural euphoria and can get your heart pumping 100 beats per minute. No wonder our heart is racing when we go in for that first kiss.
