Interesting Facts
Short Interesting Facts About Us, the Human Body & More...
Did You Know That...
Page 7
* Sickle Cell Anemia
Sickle cell anemia is an inherited red blood cell disorder that is present at birth. It is inherited when a child receives two sickle cell genes - one from each parent. There are different types of sickle cell diseases and sickle cell anemia is usually the most severe form of the disease.
Normal red blood cells are disc-shaped and look like doughnuts without holes in the center, live about 120 days in the bloodstream, and move easily through small blood vessels to carry oxygen to the rest of the body. Red blood cells contain the protein hemoglobin, an iron-rich protein that gives blood its red color.
In sickle cell disease, the red blood cells are shaped like a C, become hard and sticky, and tend to form clumps and get stuck in the blood vessels, blocking the flow of blood. Sickle cells usually die after only about 10 to 20 days, which causes a constant shortage of red blood cells, a condition called anemia. Sickle cell anemia can cause pain, serious infections, and organ damage. 16
* Soleus
The soleus is the muscle below the calf muscle that keeps an individual from falling backwards. 1
* Bean-Shaped Organs
The two kidneys you have are bean-shaped organs, each about the size of a fist. 4
* Can't Stop a Sneeze
Sneezes are an automatic reflex that can't be stopped once sneezing starts. 1
* Your Eyes
In an hour of reading a book the eyes make nearly 10,000 coordinated movements. 1
* Teen Drivers
Crash risk is particularly high during the first year that teenagers are eligible to drive. Teens are more likely than older drivers to underestimate dangerous situations or not be able to recognize hazardous situations. 16
* Largest Muscle
The gluteus maximus (gloo-tee-us mak-suh-mus) is the "largest" muscle in your body (the muscles of each buttock). It is large and powerful because it has the job of keeping the trunk of the body in an erect posture. It is the chief antigravity muscle that aids in walking up stairs. 1
* The Tongue
The tongue contains linguinal tonsils that filter out germs. 1
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