8 Amazing Facts about the Human Body

Look around: the world is full of scientific wonders. From the atomic building blocks of life to the deepest reaches of outer space, there is a lot to be awe-inspiring. Add your body to the list too. Yes, the human body is indeed an incredible specimen. Do not believe? Check out these 8 facts and you'll be amazed at what you learn.

1. Babies are born with about 300 bones, but as they grow, some of these bones fuse together. By adulthood, they have only 206 bones.

2. More than half of the bones are located in the hands, wrists, feet and ankles.

3. Every second, your body produces 25 million new cells. This means that in 15 seconds, you will be producing more cells than the number of people in the United States.

4. The largest bone in the human body is the femur, also known as the thigh bone. The smallest bone is the stapes, which are located inside the ear drum.

5. Teeth are considered part of the skeletal system, but not bones.

6. Despite being 2% of our body weight, the brain uses 20% of our oxygen and blood supply.

7. While humans aren't the biggest, fastest, or strongest animals, there's one thing we're best at: running long distances. Our long legs, upright posture and ability to dissipate heat through sweat are all factors that make us good runners. In fact, early humans used to hunt their prey by chasing it for long periods of time until the animal actually died of exhaustion, a technique known as protracted hunting.