Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
And now ladies and gentleman, let me introduce you to someone we all know and love - a person so unique, beautiful and complex, that they have captured the attention of doctors and scientists the world over for their amazing survival instincts, strength, endurance and mental capabilities; a person who deserves honours for their hard work and also dedication to their friends and family, a person who astounds others wherever they go with their incredible, yet humble physical skills.
Ladies and gentleman, take a deep breath and put your hands together for ...YOU.
Was that a bit dramatic? Perhaps, but right now I'd like to tell you some of the more interesting facts about the human body and how much you should appreciate yourself. The human body is the most amazing object in the universe. For example, not even the most complicated computer system comes within one thousandth of the skilful complexities and capabilities of the human brain.
Every second of every day all over the world, hundreds of babies are being born. This "everyday miracle" is a feast of marvels that we take for granted. Consider some of the amazing and funny facts about yourself below. Then give yourself a round of applause:
We all start off our lives as two microscopic 'ingredients' - an ovum and a sperm and we all start off our lives as female.
We start to develop physical habits while we are in the womb like sucking our thumb or wriggling when we experience anxiety.
We are born with an extremely strong sense of smell but our eyesight can only see light and outlines of large shapes.
We are also born with a need to be touched and to touch others. Babies that are hugged and kissed often, grow up to be more affectionate than babies who aren't, but also grow up to be more intelligent.
Our eyes are fully grown when we are born. Our ears and nose never stop growing.
We are born with no kneecaps and our skull is in about five pieces, instead of one big piece. The rest of our skeleton contains dozens more bones than when we are an adult (some bones fuse together during childhood and puberty).
Our brains physically do not stop growing until we are about five years old. But neurons (single brain cells) can continue to grow, die and change up until the day we die, depending on how we stimulate our brain.
The logical part of our brain (the frontal cortex) does not fully develop until we are around 19 (doesn't that explain a lot?).
About 20 per cent of all food (especially carbohydrates) and 20 per cent of all the air we breathe, goes directly to our brains.
Everyone's brain is 80 per cent water - so it's no wonder we get headaches or feel sluggish if we are dehydrated! The human body is about 70 per cent water.
We have larger brains, but smaller stomachs than our cavemen ancestors. You have probably figured out from your history studies that we also have a lot less hair, however you might not know that we also have smaller teeth and women have slowly developed a different muscular system, which is still evolving meaning women are getting stronger.
In another one million years, scientist have predicted that men and women will be around the same height; both will have even less hair all over the bodies; both will have less teeth; both will have larger brains; and both will have a digestive system that is less able to tolerate large amounts of protein!
It is absolutely true that women can multi-task - it is the special way that women's brains are hard-wired. Men are better at mathematics and some practical jobs.
Men are sometimes better at sport because of two fundamental physical attributes - they have much larger lung capacity, and by the age of around 16, have much bigger and stronger muscles.
Your skin, liver, hair and nails can grow back if cut off or damaged. However, skin tends to grow back, in some cases, with scar tissue. Scar tissue is a way the body protects itself from being damaged in the same place in the future.
If you break a bone, it will repair itself and at the sight of the break, the bone cells, called osteoblasts, are stronger than those around them. This is also a protective mechanism to make sure the bone doesn't get broken at the same spot in the future.
There are 206 bones in the adult human body. The smallest bone is in your ear. The longest bone is in your thigh.
There is no such thing as being "big boned". If you are a very big person, you probably have longer arm and leg bones (not thicker) and are broader (not heavier) at the shoulders. Additionally, you are probably carrying a lot of muscle and (unfortunately) way too much body fat.
Your bones never stop remodelling. About every seven years, you get a brand new skeleton! Bones will change density and shape depending on the stimulus you give them and how your nourish them.
The human eye is often considered the most beautiful part of the human body. The eyeball weighs about 28 grammes. The human cornea (the protective covering that contact lenses sit on) is almost exactly the same as a shark's cornea.
The human eye can distinguish 500 shades of grey.
The human mouth contains millions of 'friendly' bacteria that help keep your mouth clean.
Without a tongue, you couldn't swallow. When you do swallow, it takes seven seconds for your food to reach your stomach. You can swallow while upside down because muscles line the tube from your mouth to your stomach and they push the food only one way.
It takes up to 24 hours for your last meal (eg: a piece of steak or fish with some vegetables, followed by an ice-cream) to be fully digested. Digestion starts in your mouth with your saliva. Alcohol can be absorbed into your bloodstream via the sides of your mouth!
The human heart weighs less than a pound, has four chambers, is composed of muscle, has it's own electrical system and can apply enough pressure to squirt blood to a distance of 30 feet.
Heart disease is still the biggest cause of death all over the world, and children are not immune. The leading cause of heart disease is smoking and not getting enough exercise. Ironically, it's one of the easiest diseases to prevent.
The human heart beats approximately 35 million times a year. The lowest resting heart rate ever recorded was from a professional young male cyclist, with a rate of 28 beats per minute.
The first heart transplant was performed in South Africa in 1967. There is a strong link between gum disease and heart disease.
A smile is one of a very few internationally recognised symbols and communication tools and uses up to 53 facial muscles.
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen! And bye for now....
