A
human adult has about 206 bones. About 100 of those are just in your
hands and feet. Babies are actually born with about 300 bones. You
do not lose any bones as you get older, but many separate bones fuse
together over time to form single bones. The bones that form your
skull are just one example.
Our
bones have many jobs, but one of their most important jobs is PROTECTION.
Without the bones in our skull, our brain would be in big trouble.
The brain relys on the bones in the skull to protect it. Bones also
protect our heart and lungs by enclosing them in a rib cage.
Our
bones are also responsible for making our blood! In the middle of
our bones is a spongy substance called MARROW. It is here that the
body makes millions of new blood cells every day to send out to the
rest of your body.
Your
spine (backbone) is made up of 33 separate bones which allow us to
move in many directions. The spine also protects the spinal cord which
sends messages to from the brain to the rest of the body allowing
us to walk, eat, draw, and do just about anything else that involves
movement.
Bones
are made mostly of a mineral called CALCIUM. We get much of our calcium
from drinking milk, and eating dairy products like cheese and even
ice cream.
