How Much Do You Know About Your Blood?
The human body is an amazing thing. For each one of us, it’s the most intimate object we know. And yet most of us don’t know enough about it: its features, functions, quirks, and mysteries. That’s why we’re launching a new series called The Body, which will explore human anatomy, part by part. Think of it as a mini digital encyclopedia with a dose of wow.
Everyone knows that when you get cut, you bleed—a result of the constant movement of blood through our bodies. But do you know all of the functions the circulatory system actually performs? Here are some surprising facts about human blood—and a few cringe-worthy theories that preceded the modern scientific understanding of this vital fluid.
1. FROM HIPPOCRATES’ HUMORS TO BLOODLETTING AND LEECHES
Scientists still don’t understand why humans have different blood types, but knowing yours is important: Some people have life-threatening reactions if they receive a blood type during a transfusion that doesn’t “mix” with their own. Before researchers developed reliable ways to detect blood types, that tended to turn out badly for people receiving an incompatible human (or animal!) blood transfusion.
4. BLOOD MAKES UP ABOUT 8 PERCENT OF OUR TOTAL BODY WEIGHT.
Adult bodies contain about 5 liters (5.30 quarts) of blood (except pregnant women, whose bodies can produce about 50 percent more blood in order to nourish their fetus.)
Plasma, the liquid portion of our blood, accounts for about 3 liters. It carries red and white blood cells and platelets, which deliver oxygen to our cells, fight disease, and repair damaged vessels. These are joined by electrolytes, antibodies, vitamins, proteins, and other nutrients required to nourish all the other cells in the body.
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