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The human body is made up of over 200 bones by the time we reach adulthood. Our skeleton is essential for supporting organs, anchoring muscles and protecting our vital organs (heart, lungs and brain). It makes up about 30 or 40% of our total body weight. Most of us are born with over 300 bones which fuse together as we grow. Amazingly, more than half of our bones are in our hands and feet. We are well aware of most of the large bones and in our body, especially if we have broken one, but have you ever wondered which is the smallest bone?
The ribosome is an internal component of a cell. They are tiny structures that are either bound to the cell membrane or move freely around the intracellular fluid inside the cell. They are made up of about 40% protein and 60 % nucleic acid and are arranged in two subunits (large and small). Albert Claude and Christian de Duve, George Emil Palade were awarded the Nobel Prize, in 1974, for their discovery of the ribosome. Since the early 2000s the ribosome has been studied at atomic resolution. Thanks to the hard work and dedication of the scientists studying the ribosome we are now able to understand its function.
Every continent on Earth has at least one mountain that reaches at least 2km high. These are referred to as the Seven Summits and it is considered the ultimate challenge to climb each one in a lifetime. However, the most difficult climb is the highest mountain in the world. It is approximately 1.8km higher than any of the other seven summits mountains. Which mountain takes the crown? Read on to find out.
The Earth is not only the planet we call home, but is also the only planet in the solar system that is capable of supporting life. It is home to millions of different species, including over 6 billion humans. It is the fifth largest planet in the solar system and is located third from the sun. There are many different layers of the Earth that are all made up of different materials.
The ancient Romans were the first to build large and permanent bridges. Most were built with a combination of stone and concrete, with many still standing today. Modern bridge design has certainly come a long way since then, but the general principles and designs used by the ancient Romans, still influence our bridges today. Modern bridges are truly marvels of engineering and can reach lengths that were previously believed to be impossible. Read on to discover which bridge in the longest in the world.
A venomous animal is one which has a toxic venom as part of its attack system. Venomous animals use their venom to kill their prey before eating it. They deliver their venom in a variety of ways including, stinging, biting and injecting. Venomous animals do not use their venom to defend themselves as poisonous animals do. So what is the most venomous animal? Read on to find out.
The European continent has many famous rivers that have been mentioned in song and story for centuries. Many people are familiar with European rivers such as the Danube, Thames and Rhine just to name a few. 14 rivers that cover the European continent are over 1000 kilometers (600 miles) long and another 5 rivers are over 900 kilometers (570 miles) in length. Many of these great rivers are interconnected and used for irrigation and travel.
The sight of s shooting star fills most people with a sense of awe and beauty. It shoots across the sky leaving a trail of light behind and making us wonder where it fell. Most of us know that a star is a ball of gas that is millions or billions of light years away from the earth, but we are often unsure what causes a shooting star to be seen. If you have ever asked yourself the question, what is a shooting star then this article is for you.
How wealthy or poor a country is really doesn’t depend on the amount of money that they have, but more on the level of goods and services that they provide. The measurement of the production of goods and services in a country is known as its GDP or Gross Domestic Product. A countries worth also depends on their international debts and sometimes their ability to improve in the future. The wealth of a country is determined per capita. This is the average amount of goods or services per year that one person in the country produces. There are a number of organizations that determine the GDP of a country. These include the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. The calculations made by these organizations often differ quite substantially from country to country and this is because the information used to calculate the GDP is only an estimate.
An island is defined as any piece of land that is completely surrounded by water. Islands can occur in any body of water from oceans to lakes. A group of islands is known as an archipelago. There are two main types of islands: continental islands and oceanic islands. Continental islands are those which sit on the edge of a continental shelf. Oceanic islands are islands which do not exist along the edge of a continental shelf. Islands have also been made artificially by countries that require more space. There are over 180,497 islands worldwide though it is difficult to get an exact number as many islands are no bigger than large dining table. Of all these islands which one is the largest? Read on to discover the answer.