Many things in the world are so complex that we must continue studying them to understand how they work. Our body is one of them.
Science has spent decades learning new things about us, and we still don’t know everything. There are some facts that can surprise us. Here are some exciting things you probably don’t know about the human body.
1. How to tell if you’re dehydrated
Fluid decreasing can cause skin turgor or dehydration, and fluid loss can be caused by vomiting and diarrhea. Checking for turgor can be done by pressing the skin between 2 fingers.
Checks are frequently made on the lower arm or belly as well. After being pinched for a little while, the skin is released. Normal skin quickly returns to its original form. It takes longer for skin to recover to its original position if you’re dehydrated.
2. Cell production
Our bodies are constantly working and producing new cells. We replace over 330 billion cells per day, according to Ron Sender and Ron Milo of the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.
At that rate, your body is creating more than 3.8 million new cells each second. By the time you finish reading this paragraph, you’ll have made about 75 million new cells. The majority of them are blood cells, trailed by gut cells.
3. Long-distance running
We, humans, are not the fastest, nor do we have the best vision of all animals, but there are 2 things we do better than any other creatures on Earth. The first thing is that we are the smartest, but the second and the most surprising thing is that we can outrun every animal.
Thanks to our furless bodies and sweat glands, people have an excellent cooling-off system, and our upright posture is great for running. Our human ancestors chased animals until they collapsed from exertion, and they did that mainly in the middle of the day when it was the hottest.
4. Bone strength
Human bone is around 5 times stronger than steel. Compared to a chunk of metal that’s the same size, the bar will be 3-5 times heavier. This is because metal is denser than bone.
Human bone is about 4 times as strong as concrete of the same weight. 1 cubic inch (16 cubic cm) of bone can carry up to 5 ordinary pickup trucks, or about 19,000 lb (8.6 tonnes).
5. We are mostly water
Water is essential for life. Some animals are made of up to 90% H2O, but our bodies contain less than that.
A full-grown woman has around 55%, while an adult man has up to 60%. Babies and children hold more water than adults. Individuals with more fatty tissue have less water than individuals with less fatty tissue. Most water in the body can be found in the lungs, muscles, and kidneys.
6. The strongest muscle
The biggest muscle in our body is the gluteus maximus, and most of us think it is the strongest, but that’s not true. Our jaw has the most strength out of them all.
This is because of the interesting placement of the muscles and the fact that they’re positioned to act as a sort of nutcracker. The average male bite force is 85.98 lb (39kg), while the average female bite force is 48.50 lb (22kg).
7. Smell memory
If you’ve ever smelled something that brought you back in time, this is not an illusion. It turns out we can remember scent pretty well due to brain anatomy. The arriving smell is first processed by the olfactory bulb inside the nose, which is connected to the part of the brain responsible for emotions and memories.
8. Super vision
The human eye is a complex organ that helps us see the world. But it might be more powerful than we think.
A couple of scientists did a test to find out how far we can spot candlelight. It turns out that the maximum distance we can see is 1.6 miles (2.6 km), which is quite impressive given how small candlelight is.
