THE HUMAN BODY is a beautiful machine.

It’s the best thing you’ll ever own – the most wonderful instrument in the world. But it’s also gross.

Like, really gross.

1. Your bones can bleed

Femur fractures can cause up to a litre of blood loss all on their own. Terrifying.

Aidan Jones Aidan Jones

2. Is your nose running? You’d better go catch it

There are thin tubes connecting the corner of your eye to your nose – they drain tears away into the nostrils. That’s why your nose runs when you cry.

Tambako the Jaguar Tambako the Jaguar

3. A labour of love

Hormones are released after a woman gives birth, encouraging her to forget the pain of it all so that the species will continue to propagate. Sly one, body. Sly one.

Alexander N Alexander N

4. The palmaris longus muscle…

Fourteen per cent of the world’s population lack it. Do you have it? Give this a go: Look at your wrist, push your thumb and pinky together and flex hand towards you. If you have a palmaris longus, you’ll see a tendon pop up right in the middle of your arm near your wrist. So, are you special or not?

Okko Pyykkö Okko Pyykkö

5. Hard-nosed…

There is “erectile tissue” in your nose whose vascularity changes every half an hour or so, to prevent too much water loss. That’s why one of your nostrils might always feel a bit blocked.

anna gutermuth anna gutermuth

6. To cap it all off

We are not born with knee caps. They are cartilage at birth, then ossify after a couple of years.

MTSOfan MTSOfan

7. Walk on

Walking is a reflex. So babies are born with the ability, but not the strength, to walk. If they were placed on a treadmill, they would have the same reflex to walk as adults. PS, don’t try that at home, eh?

(davide) (davide)

H/t this AskReddit thread

Read: 11 really cool facts you didn’t know about the human body>

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