Life
No matter how far technology comes or modern medicine advances, the fact still remains that the human body is pretty incredible all by itself. In a time when movies and television are focusing on characters with super human powers, like strength and speed, it can be easy to feel like your average body isn't anything to really rave about. But before you resign yourself to lying on the couch, envying Jessica Jones' incredible skills, cheer up. There are all sorts of facts about your body that are downright mind-blowing, and prove that you're just as impressive as a super hero.
Pretty much everyone knows the basic amazing facts about the human body: giving birth is mind-blowing and nothing short of miraculous, everybody’s fingerprints are unique to them, and, thanks to the adorable kid in Jerry Maguire, we know the average human head weighs eight pounds. But what about the kind of information that literally makes you stop and think about how amazing the human body actually is? You don’t have to be an expert scientist or believe in creationism or evolution to appreciate the types of facts that truly put things into perspective about how crazy life on this little blue planet can be.
1
You've Got A Super Sense Of Touch
If you thought unique fingerprints were pretty cool, then hold on to your seats. A recent study from the KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm revealed that the human finger can discriminate between surfaces with ridges as small as 13 nanometers. In case you don't have your ruler out, that's the equivalent of your finger being the size of Earth and being able to feel the difference between a car and a house.
2
Let It Grow
Many people bite their nails, but you may stop after you realize just how long it takes them to grow. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, fingernails grow 0.1 millimeters a day. That means it would take a little over eight years for your fingernails to grow to be a foot long. So if you're looking to set any Guinness world records, you better quite the nail-biting habit and hide the clippers.
3
Your Liver Is Like Doctor Who
If you're not a certified Whovian (a fan of the BBC sci-fi series Doctor Who), then let me explain that the star of the show has the ability to regenerate. Studies have found that your liver can pull off that Time Lord trick, too. Not only can your liver restore the part it lost, but it can adapt to a new body. That means if you are the recipient of a liver transplant, it will adjust itself to fit in the custom space of your body.
4
Your Skin Is Also Like Doctor Who
Speaking of regeneration, you obviously know that skin can mend itself. But how does your skin stay so fresh? The answer is simple — and kind of gross. According to WebMD, your body sheds about 1.5 pounds of dead skin in a year. That means if you were to somehow save all those dead skin cells — which would be nearly impossible since they're pretty small and make up 70 percent of the dust in your home — you'd have something about as heavy as an adult guinea pig at the end of the year.
5
Your Blood Vessels Go The Distance
Your heart is an amazing thing in and of itself. The Celeveland Clinic notes that it beats about 100,000 times a day and pumps around 2,000gallons of blood in a day. And you know what’s most insane about your circulatory system? It's that those facts were just about your heart — the most mind boggling info is about your blood vessels. Your whole system of blood vessels measures over 60,000 miles long, which is more than twice the earth’s circumference. Think about that the next time you go on a run!
Images: HannahPirnie/Pixabay; Giphy (5)
