The human body is an amazing machine. And it’s capable of things we didn’t even know about!
We found 12 facts that were so strange to us that we thought they might be news to you too.
How many of these things did you already know?
1. We’re taller in the morning
You are your tallest first thing in the morning when you wake up.
Over the course of the day, your spine gets compressed, making you ever-so-slightly shorter when you go to bed at night.
2. Our teeth are as strong as a shark’s
Although the teeth of sharks are made from a harder mineral than human teeth, they are still similar in strength. It is largely due to the enamel coating on them. The enamel is comparable in each species.
3. We glow in the dark
Our bodies are bioluminescent, meaning in the dark, we give off light. Of course, it’s too faint to be seen by the human eye, but it’s been measured.
Species like fireflies and some jellyfish exhibit this property much more strongly.
4. Our skin accounts for around 16% of our body weight
In the average adult, that means around 20 pounds or more of us is just skin. If you peeled it off and lined it up, it would cover an area of about 22 square feet.
Think about that next time you step on the scale!
5. The bacteria living in our bodies outnumber our cells 10x over
Bacteria are much more plentiful than actual cells. These giant microbial communities also have a serious effect on health (hence the wellness industry’s obsession with the “microbiome”).
Isn’t it kind of odd that we’re made of so much bacteria?
6. Your mouth produces two liters of spit every day
It’s enough to fill two to four water bottles. Your salivary glands can be triggered just by thinking about food. When you are eating, they work even harder.
7. There is a condition that can make a person obsessed with fine dining
It’s called Gourmand Syndrome. It happens due to an injury of the right anterior cerebral hemisphere of the brain. Afterward, the individual will show a preference for eating and thinking about fine foods.
8. Your happy tears have a different chemical composition than your sad tears
9. When we “blush,” so does our stomach lining
Both the human stomach and the face become red when blushing. It’s because it causes all of the capillaries in your body to widen. The increased blood flow is responsible for the red color.
10. Our brains could power a lightbulb
There is a lot going on up there. The brain is constantly sending electrical signals and impulses between the billions of neurons. Combine them all together and you can power a low-watt bulb.
11. Your heart could squirt blood up to 30 feet away
This isn’t the kind of thing you want to try and prove, of course.
The heart is a strong pump with a lot of pressure and can send blood flying all the way across a room. It also pumps around 2000 gallons of blood every day!
12. Some people hear the sound of a bomb exploding when they fall asleep
The name for this weird experience is exploding head syndrome. It sounds like a loud gunshot or explosion and happens upon sleeping or awakening. It has been estimated that it affects up to 10% of the population.
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Well, we have to admit that we didn’t know any of these things – and we probably would have thought they weren’t true before we looked them up.
Who knew our bodies were capable of such strange and amazing things?!
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