The human body is one of the strangest and most fascinating machines in existence. There is so much we don’t know and millions of facts that will surely give you a much better understanding of what our bodies are capable of. From preventing cavities through kissing to human hair being virtually indestructible, read on to find out the weirdest facts about the human body.
Human Teeth Have The Same Strength As Shark Teeth
This may come as a big surprise to most of us, but it’s true. And although shark teeth are actually made of a harder mineral than human teeth, both are extremely similar in strength.
This is mainly because the enamel layer of a shark’s teeth is quite comparable to that of a human’s.
Whenever A Person Turns Red, Their Stomach Turns Red Too
If you blush easily, then the next time you blush, think about it. It turns out that when you turn red, your stomach also turns red, and so does your face.
This is because all of your capillaries dilate whenever you feel a little more shy or embarrassed, which increases blood flow. This blood flow is responsible for the red color in the face.
Electricity Generated Through The Brain Can Power A Light Bulb
Well, you read it right. It looks like all this electricity in our brains is more powerful than we know. The brain regularly sends out various impulses and electrical signals between billions of neurons.
So it’s safe to say a lot is going on up there! If we combine all these signals and impulses, its electricity could power a light bulb.
Having Your Heart Broken Can Result In Heart Problems
Now, this may irritate some, as having our hearts broken seems to be enough suffering for one person. However, there is a condition called broken heart syndrome that is painful for real.
Apparently, the chest pain, shortness of breath, and emotional stress one experiences during a breakup are similar to a heart attack. Still, they can usually be resolved in a few days or weeks.
The Human Face Can Make Almost 7,000 Different Expressions
Until now, humans have collected more facial muscle than any primate ancestor that ever lived on Earth. Obviously, the fact that we don’t have any (or less) hair on our faces compared to our primate ancestors makes these expressions much easier to see than before.
Researchers suggest thousands of possible expressions, which only increase as we evolve.
Some People Fall Asleep To The Sound Of A Bomb
We cannot even begin to imagine what it must feel like to hear a bomb every time we want to fall asleep. Apparently, the strange experience is called the exploding head syndrome.
The sound basically resembles a loud gunshot or explosion and happens when someone wakes up or falls asleep. It is suggested that about 10% of the population is affected by it.
It’s Almost Impossible to Destroy Human Hair
This fact may not be the biggest surprise on our list, as many of us have already heard that human hair is, in fact, powerful. This part of our body is so strong that apparently, the only thing that could really destroy it is fire.
Other than that, hair deteriorates at a prolonged rate and can easily resist many types of acids and chemicals.
Some People Have A Syndrome Associated With Obsession With Good Restaurants
At this point, we probably understand that there are many conditions and syndromes out there, and some of them won’t always make sense.
This specific syndrome, called Gourmand Syndrome, occurs when someone suffers an injury to the right anterior cerebral hemisphere of the brain. From then on, the person will manifest a preference for eating only fine foods.
Stomach Acid Can Really Burn A Hole In The Skin
Our bodies are so powerful that the number of things they can do is endless. For example, although individual stomachs do vary with regards to their acidity level, this acidity is often potent.
And while the hydrochloric acid our bodies make is strong enough to break down food, in many cases, it’s also strong enough to burn a hole in the skin.
By Putting Your Thumb In Your Mouth While Blowing, You Can Reduce Stress
Stress is one of the biggest challenges in modern society. Many of us struggle with this, and it’s not always easy to get over it as hard as we try. Although it may sound strange, you can try blowing your thumb as an effective pain reliever.
The mechanism works by cooling your thumb and calming your pulse with it.
There Are Probably More Bacteria In Our Mouth Than The Number Of People Living On Earth
There are so many bacteria around the world that we barely understand how much is really out there. Interestingly, bacteria actually thrive in the human body since the environment is as hot and humid as they like.
Scientists have documented at least 615 types of bacteria that can be found in our bodies and our mouths. Levels can run into billions.
Adults Have Fewer Bones In Their Body Compared To Babies
Here’s another fact that can come as a big shock to most people. Babies are tiny, but did you ever think they might have more bones in their bodies than adults?
Well, humans are born with at least 300 bones in their bodies, but many of them eventually fuse. In the end, adults might end up with 212 different bones.
If Your Blood Vessels Were Placed Side By Side, Their Length Would Circle The World Twice Or More
Our bodies contain an incredible amount of blood vessels. They can be found between veins, arteries, capillaries, and more. Basically, they’re curling up everywhere along every inch of our limbs.
So, if we were to line them up next to each other, these blood vessels could extend between 60 and 100 thousand miles, wow!
Our Eyes Can See In An Impressive Resolution Of 500 Megapixels
The human eye is easily one of the most impressive organs in our body. They are so versatile, and compared to any screen out there (no matter how advanced it is), nothing will ever reach our eye level.
In fact, the human eye can see at an incredible resolution of 500 megapixels, with its vision spanning 180 degrees.
Humans Have Ten Times More Bacteria In Their Body Than Human Cells
And, once again, we are reminded that the number of bacteria we have in our bodies is on an entirely different level. It has been proven time and again that our bodies contain far more bacteria than real cells.
And even though these gigantic microbial communities can have a terribly detrimental effect on our health, they are still poorly studied.
Your Body Weight Is Made Up Of 16% Of Your Skin
Our body weight is made up of many different things, but it can be quite a shock to know that our skin actually represents 16% of our body weight. In an average adult, this means that about 20 pounds or even more are attributed to their skin.
If you took it all out and lined it up, the skin could cover about 6.5 square feet.
Your Eyelashes Have Mites Living on Them
Mites can be in many places in this world, but we never thought our eyelashes could be one of their homes. In fact, it can be a little weird to think about it, and, if that’s not enough, they also love to inhabit other hair follicles in our bodies.
The specific species of mites found on our eyelashes are called Demodex and can cause many skin diseases.
The Human Skeleton Regenerates Every Ten Years
You’ve probably heard about the fact that bones regenerate easily. In reality, they are constantly regenerating, which results in a mixture of new and old bones in our bodies at some point.
While this process never really stops, it slows down a bit until we die as we get older.
Our Hearts Can Squirt Blood Up To 30 Feet Away
This may seem a little strange to some, but it’s still a fascinating fact about our bodies and our hearts in particular. The heart is one of the strongest organs in our body, and they are what we might call a live pump with tons of pressure.
That pressure can send a lot of blood flying across the opposite side of a room.
Our Eyes Remain Closed At Least 10% Of The Time We Are Awake
While some people blink much more than others, most people blink about 15 to 20 times every minute without even realizing it.
As a result of the constant blinking we do daily (although blinking may only last a fraction of a second), this results in most of our eyes being closed for about 10% of the time we’re awake.
Once Removed From The Body, The Heart May Continue To Beat
It may sound a little scary, but heart transplants are like that. Doctors make sure the heart continues to beat as they carefully transport it to the receiving patient, and voilà!
This rescue procedure is performed around 5,000 times a year worldwide and is a savior for many people out there, including our loved ones.
Your Kidney Filters Your Blood About 25 Times A Day
There is no doubt that the kidney is another crucial and surprisingly strong organ in our body. The organ filters the blood about 25 times a day, totaling about 180 liters of processed blood daily.
This filtration is crucial to keeping our blood healthy and our bodies functioning properly. An average body can have seven to eight liters in total.
There Is A Specific Type Of Tumor That Grows In Hair And Teeth
As if there wasn’t enough pain and difficulty out there, it turns out that there is a specific type of tumor that can grow in someone’s teeth or hair. Although we usually associate tumors with the skin or other organs, a cyst called a teratoma can be found in these unusual parts of the body.
Teratoma involves tissues such as hair, bones, and teeth and can be removed by surgery.
The Pink Corner In Your Eyes Has Something To Do With Reptiles And Birds
Ever wonder what that pink corner in your eyes is? Well, it has something to do with evolution. The small organ is related to the evolutionary remnant of our past and used to be an inner eyelid.
If you look at birds and reptiles, the pink corner found in their eyes is very human-like, but there isn’t much of it left after millions of years of evolution.
When You Go To Bed At Night, You Get Taller Than During The Day
It turns out that your height is greatest when you wake up in the morning, and throughout the day, your spine gets a little tighter. A jelly-like material inside us, located between our vertebrae, basically acts as a comfortable pillow.
While we sleep, the material moves and affects our height.
Even If 75% Of A Person’s Liver Is Removed, It Can Regenerate Completely
The liver is another member of our body that is simply amazing with its ability to regenerate. In fact, if three-quarters of a liver is removed, this someone can still survive and even thrive.
The liver slowly grows back over time until it completely regenerates. Among all the other organs in our body, the liver is the only one with this ability.
After The Age of 30, You Lose Approximately Half an Inch of Your Height Every Ten Years
Well, that explains everything. You’ve probably wondered why older people seem to be shorter than when they were younger, and there seems to be an explanation for that. As people get older, they get much shorter.
This is because the discs between our vertebrae slowly start to flatten at an almost imperceptible rate.
A Human’s Heartbeat Can Really Synchronize With Music
Isn’t it nice that our heartbeats can actually sync with our favorite music? Of course, it depends on the beat and timing of the particular song, but your heart rate may decrease or increase according to the music.
Songs that specifically contain “crescendo” (gradually increase in loudness) can contract blood vessels in the cardiovascular system.
By the Age of 60, You May Lose About Half Your Taste
How disappointing is it to know that as we grow older and reach the age of 60, half of our taste buds can disappear? While human beings start their lives with around 10,000 taste buds, as they age, things start to change slowly and, in this case, for the worse.
In fact, taste buds only last about ten days before they change completely.
The Enzymes That Digest Food Are The Same That Digest Your Body When You Die
Hmmm, this one is kind of morbid but still interesting, to be honest. Although ironically, enzymes are the substance that acts as a catalyst in living organisms, they can also be useful to us after we die.
After death, enzymes continue to work and feed on fluids produced during something called autolysis – a process that happens when a person dies.
Kissing Can Help With Your Cavities
Kissing has many benefits for our bodies. The kissing action produces a large amount of saliva in the mouth, which causes these fluids to remain a bit there.
This process actually helps to remove plaque, which can help if you have cavities in your teeth. Less plaque basically means fewer cavities, which can literally be achieved by kissing!
Humans Are Really Made Of Stardust That Dates Billions Of Years Ago
Humans have approximately 97% of the same number of atoms as the galaxy we all live in. Due to supernovae, stars do explode, and their dust forms on new plants and eventually people.
This means that about 93% of a body’s mass is actually stardust, believe it or not. While many skeptics may not believe this to be true, several scientists have confirmed it more than once.
Humans Can Shine In The Dark
Another one that looks like a total hoax, but it’s true, humans can glow in the dark. Apparently, the human body is bioluminescent, which means that we can emit some light in the dark.
The light is simply too dim to actually be seen by the human eye. Species such as fireflies and some jellyfish have this property at a much stronger dosage than we do.
Our Hearts In A Lifetime pump about 200 Million Liters Of Blood
The heart constantly pumps blood, which basically keeps us alive. But have you ever imagined that, in a person’s life, their heart could pump around 200 million liters of blood?
Every day, the heart contracts about 100,000 times and is always beating hard. Those who exercise can pump six times the normal rate.
Most People in the 1940s Dreamed in Black and White
Well, that makes a lot of sense if you think about it. According to what three-quarters of Americans reported, they barely saw any color in their dreams at that time. The reason behind this is believed to be regular black and white exposure through TV and movies.
Nowadays, the percentage of people reporting this phenomenon is much smaller.
Our Mouth Produces About One To Two Liters Of Spit A Day
Believe it or not, the amount of saliva we produce in our mouths every day is basically enough to fill two to four bottles of water. Each person’s salivary gland can be triggered simply by thinking about food, which instantly increases saliva production.
Likewise, when you’re eating a meal, your glands work even harder than normal.
- Your Body Triggers Something Called “Dive Reflex” When You’re Underwater
Our bodies can do mind-blowing things automatically. One of these things is called a “dive reflex,” triggered when someone is underwater. The action causes specific systems in the body to shut down and start conserving energy for later.
Additionally, psychological changes occur when we are underwater that have led researchers to believe that humans have an aquatic history behind them.
If You Decide To Untwist All Of Your DNA, It Might Actually Be Long Enough To Traverse The Solar System More Than Once
DNA is a molecule that carries all the information about how a living thing works. It’s basically made up of long spirals that are strung together, carrying the genetic instructions for each organism’s functioning, development, reproduction, and growth.
If unrolled, this DNA could extend from Earth to Pluto and vice versa.
Tears Are Made Of Different Compositions Depending On Whether They Are Made Of Happiness Or Sadness
Yes, it looks like the tears are made of entirely different compositions, depending on why they were shed. A person’s emotion causes their tears to form matter, with a total of three different possible types of tears.
Once examined under a microscope, each looks really different from the other.
You Can Make Ten Bars Of Soap With The Amount Of Fat In The Human Body
Needless to say, this varies completely from person to person, but it’s amazing to think that our bodies can produce an amount of fat that could result in ten bars of soap.
The number of bars of soap basically depends on the fat supply a person’s body reserves and, of course, how fat the person can be.
Women’s Brain Shrinks During Pregnancy
When women are pregnant, among the many changes their bodies experience is that the brain shrinks a little. It can take up to six months after giving birth for the brain to return to its size before the woman became pregnant.
Although the change is not that big, it can be seen. However, when the baby is born, these changes begin to reverse immediately. And the shrinkage doesn’t affect intelligence in any way.
The Cornea Of The Eye Does Not Have Its Own Blood Supply
Apparently, the small cornea in the eye is the only part of the human body that does not receive blood. And why is that, you might ask? Because he just doesn’t need blood and can thrive without it all their lives.
The organ simply receives blood directly from the air to which this part of our body is exposed.
The First Thing That Develops In A Human Embryo Is The Anus
We could think of so many things as the first organs to be developed in a human embryo. It could be the brain, the heart, anything… but the anus?
However, it’s true, folks. Before anything else is developed, a small anus can be seen in a human embryo, and the second thing to be developed is the mouth. Go figure!
The Human Embryo Develops Fingerprints After Three Months
One of the most interesting things a pregnant woman can do is follow the different stages of an embryo’s development. Around the 17th week of pregnancy, an embryo’s fingerprints are basically set in stone.
From that point forward, those fingerprints will never change until the person is dead, and every fingerprint that exists is unique to a person. Well, almost unique.
One-Quarter Of Your Body’s Bones Are Located In Your Feet
Each person’s feet and ankles have an impressive total of 26 bones, can you believe it?! Within these small parts of our bodies, there are about 33 joints and over 100 tendons, ligaments, and muscles.
It’s one of the most complex areas of a person’s skeletal system, and if you think about it, maybe that’s why they’re so prone to get hurt easily.
Astronauts Can Gain Up To 2 Inches In Space
Since astronauts don’t have gravity weighing them down at all times while in space, their bodies can apparently stretch much more than they would on Earth.
Most astronauts actually came back from space a little higher than before. Anyone who stays in space for about a year can gain up to two inches in height.
The Small Intestine Of A Body Is Approximately 20 Feet In Length
It’s not the first length that comes to mind when we hear about “small intestine,” but apparently, that’s the length! In addition, the human body’s large intestine can be about 5 feet long.
If the two intestines were combined, they would form a rope the size of a huge three-story building.
If You Are Starving Your Brain May Start Eating Itself
Many things happen to our bodies when we are starving, and one of them happens in the brain. When the brain realizes that the body is starving, it can start eating itself to survive.
This can be caused not only by hunger but also by a person who practices extreme diets. The scientific term for this occurrence is called autophagy.
Your Brain Can Survive About Five To Ten Minutes Without Oxygen
We all know that the brain is one of the most powerful organs in our bodies, but did you know that it can actually survive on zero oxygen for about five to ten minutes?
Simply put, you’ll pass out after a minute or two without oxygen, but your brain will continue to function for quite a while after that. Even after your heart stops, your brain can last another six minutes.
If You Have Two Equal Organs, Only One Of Them Is Needed To Live
It may take some time to understand this one, but it’s simpler than it sounds. For example, if you happen to lose one of your lungs, you can still have a completely normal life with just one of them.
However, what you won’t be able to do is exercise the way a person with two lungs can, and the same goes for the kidneys.