The human body is an amazing machine. Huge numbers of cells, around 37.2 trillion, work together to make a complex living and breathing system that can think and act in everyday life. The cells are the basic building blocks of life. All living things have them, but it is what is in these cells that is important. Each cell has a specific job and is guided by the blue print in DNA. DNA is short for deoxyribonucleic acid. It carries all of the information and instructions that your body needs to make and replace cells; these instructions are called genes. We still don’t understand DNA completely, but scientists are always discovering new and amazing things for which DNA is responsible. It determines what color your hair and eyes will be. It tells the bones how tall or short to be and much more. It also tells plants how tall to grow and determines how a dog’s ears are shaped. Scientists are even starting to look at DNA to predict and cure diseases. DNA and other things like the environment are what make people different and unique. Here are some facts about truly unique humans and amazing human bodies:
• Sultan Kosen became the world’s tallest man in 2009. He is from Turkey and is 8 feet, 3 inches tall.
• Kosen also has the world’s largest hands. They are 11.2 inches from his wrist to the tip of his middle finger.
• Chandra Bahadur Dangi is the world’s smallest man. He is only 21.5 inches tall. He is from Nepal. He only weighs 32 pounds.
• There are 60,000 miles of blood vessels in the human body.
• Tongue prints are unique, just like thumbprints.
• On average, a person will shed 40 pounds of skin in a lifetime.
• Red blood cells are made in bone marrow and carry oxygen through the body.
• Nose and ears never stop growing.
• Human teeth are stronger than shark teeth.
• The average red blood cell lives 120 days.
• A heart beats 100,000 times a day.
• 10,000 cells can fit on the head of a pin.
• All of your blood is filtered through the kidneys 400 times a day.
