Why do I have a spleen?



This fragile first-shaped sack in your body’s infection fighter, filtering bacteria, viruses and other nasty invaders from your blood. Your spleen's main function is to act as a filter for your blood. It recognizes and removes old, malformed, or damaged red blood cells. When blood flows into your spleen, your spleen performs "quality control"; your red blood cells must pass through a maze of narrow passages. Healthy blood cells simply pass through the spleen and continue to circulate throughout your bloodstream. Blood cells that can't pass the test will be broken down in your spleen by macrophages. Macrophages are large white blood cells that specialize in destroying these unhealthy red blood cells.



The blood vessels in human spleens are able to get wider or narrower, depending on your body's needs. When vessels are expanded, your spleen can actually hold up to a cup of reserve blood. If for any reason you need some extra blood – for example, if trauma causes you to lose blood – your spleen can respond by releasing that reserve blood back into your system.



Your spleen also plays an important part in your immune system, which helps your body fight infection. Just as it detects faulty red blood cells, your spleen can pick out any unwelcome micro-organisms (like bacteria or viruses) in your blood.



 



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Why do I have a pancreas?



This organ injects special protein substances called enzymes into your small intestine to break down carbohydrates for fats and energy, and proteins for body-building materials. The pancreas has an endocrine function because it releases juices directly into the bloodstream, and it has an exocrine function because it releases juices into ducts.



Enzymes, or digestive juices, are secreted by the pancreas into the small intestine. There, it continues breaking down food that has left the stomach.



The pancreas also produces the hormone insulin and secretes it into the bloodstream, where it regulates the body's glucose or sugar level. Problems with insulin control can lead to diabetes. Other possible health problems include pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer.



A healthy pancreas produces chemicals to digest the food we eat. The exocrine tissues secrete a clear, watery, alkaline juice that contains several enzymes. These break down food into small molecules that can be absorbed by the intestines. When blood sugar falls, pancreatic alpha cells release the hormone glucagon. Glucagon causes glycogen to be broken down into glucose in the liver. The glucose then enters the bloodstream, restoring blood sugar levels to normal.



 



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Why do I have kidneys?



This bean-shaped organ is so essential to good health that your body comes with a second one for free! Each kidney is crammed with more than a million microscopic filters-called nephrons – that skim the waste chemical and other gunk from your blood. One of the main jobs of the kidneys is to filter the waste out of the blood. How does the waste get in your blood? Well, your blood delivers nutrients to your body. Chemical reactions in the cells of your body break down the nutrients. Some of the waste is the result of these chemical reactions. Some is just stuff your body doesn't need because it already has enough. The waste has to go somewhere; this is where the kidneys come in. First, blood is carried into the kidneys by the renal artery (anything in the body related to the kidneys is called "renal"). The average person has 1 to 1½ gallons of blood circulating through his or her body. The kidneys filter that blood about 40 times a day! More than 1 million tiny filters inside the kidneys remove the waste. These filters, called nephrons, are so small you can see them only with a high-powered microscope.



 



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Why do I have an appendix?



This skinny tube in our digestive system is mostly useless today and can actually endanger your life if it becomes inflamed. Scientists suspect that the appendix, which replenishes essential bacteria in our guts, was an important organ back before germ-fighting medicines helped humans overcome constant bouts of diarrhea. Scientists disagree on what the appendix actually does. Some think it's a leftover organ from earlier humans but that it no longer serves any purpose.



Other scientists think it's responsible for returning good bacteria to the gut after an infection. If the appendix really does serve as a source of good bacteria, then it is an important part of the human immune system. When your appendix becomes inflamed, it’s called appendicitis. It’s usually caused by a bacterial infection. The infection might start in your stomach and travel to your appendix. It might also arise from a hardened piece of feces in your intestinal tract. If you suspect you have appendicitis, make an appointment with your doctor. To diagnose your condition, they will ask you about your symptoms and conduct a physical exam. They may also order lab work and imaging tests.



 



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Why do I have a liver?



The liver helps you by taking toxins (substances in the body that are actually like poisons) out of your blood. Wait! Why do you have toxins in your blood in the first place? Sometimes your body produces them as part of its normal function, like breaking down protein, a component in foods such as meat and nuts.



The liver also cleans blood that has just been enriched with vitamins and minerals during digestion. After you've eaten something, the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from the food pass from the intestine into the blood. Before going out to the rest of the body, the nutrient-rich blood makes a stop at the liver.



The liver processes the good stuff into forms that the rest of the body can use. Waste or stuff your body doesn't need can be carried by bile back into the intestine and out of the body when you poop. Other waste processed by the liver goes through your blood to your kidneys and out in your pee. Your body’s biggest internal organ, the liver is like a complex chemical-processing plant. It converts nutrients from the small intestine into fuel your body can use. It makes bile, an essential substance for digestion.



And, if you ever accidentally ate something that was harmful, your liver would try to break it down and clear it out of your system. But don't put your liver to the test! Steer clear of poisons and other harmful stuff.



 



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Why do I have tonsils?



Tonsils are small organs in the back of the throat. As part of the lymphatic system, they play an important role in the health of the body. Tonsils were once thought to be a useless part made obsolete by evolution. When bothered by an infection, doctors once prescribed the removal of the tonsils through a tonsillectomy. These small organs are actually quite useful, though. Though small and seemingly useless, tonsils have several uses. The tonsils prevent foreign objects from slipping into the lungs. Think of them as goalies for the throat. They also filter bacteria and viruses. These two meatball-shaped masses of tissue at the back of your throat are part of your lymph system, which includes a network of nodes that work like little security guards to battle infection.



 



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Why do I have intestines?



Intestines are organs, or body parts, that are shaped like long tubes. They help break down food so that the body can use it for energy. This is part of the process called digestion. The intestines also remove wastes from the body. Mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish have intestines.



A human’s intestines fill much of the middle part of the body below the rib cage. The intestines are divided into two main sections, the small intestine and the large intestine. The small intestine is 22 to 25 feet (6.7 to 7.6 meters) long and coils like a maze. The large intestine is 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 2 meters) long. The intestines have a special kind of muscle that squeezes and relaxes in a wavelike motion. This motion pushes food and waste through the intestines.



 The bulk of food digestion takes place in your small and large intestines. Two tubes that absorb all the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients from everything you eat.



 



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Why do I have skin?



Your skin’s all over you. In fact, your skin is larger than any other part of your body. It’s a good thing too. Your skin keeps your insides in. It keeps germs and yucky things out. It protects your body and keeps it from drying out. Skin can also help keep you cool during hot weather and warm during cold weather. Without your skin, you’d be a mess! Skin is made up of two layers. The epidermis is the outside part of the skin. It has sweat pores and hairs. The inside of the skin is the dermis. This layer has nerves, or receptors, that detect pain or touch. It also has blood vessels, oil glands and hair roots. Underneath this layer is a thin layer of fat that cushions your body. Skin holds your insides in and protects your tissues from ultraviolet radiation from the outside. Skin is your body’s largest organ. It is made of layers of cells that march to the surface and flake off from friction. The outermost layer is entirely dead.



 



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Why do I have a stomach?



The stomach is part of the digestive system. It is an internal organ between the oesophagus and the small intestine. The stomach is the third stage in the digestive process. It holds food after ingestion. Food in the stomach then passes through to the small intestine where most of the food's nutrition is absorbed.



The stomach contains hydrochloric acid made by stomach cells. As a useful side-effect, the acid kills bacteria in the food. However, its main function is to help the protein-digesting enzymes called proteases work. In general, the food is churned, squeezed and mixed. This prepares it for digestion. The partially digested food is called chyme.



 



The stomach acid may cause problems. It can make peptic ulcers worse. It can also cause heartburn—pain in the chest when acid from the stomach refluxes (backs up into) the oesophagus. These can usually be treated by neutralizing the acid. Vomiting occurs when food goes back up the oesophagus and out the mouth. Vomiting can be a symptom of disease.



Stomachs of other mammals work differently to human stomachs. Ruminants, for example, have a stomach with multiple compartments. In that system, food goes through the first part of the digestive system twice, and the work of digesting the grass is done by bacteria.



 



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Why do I have lungs?



Your lungs are in your chest, and they are so large that they take up most of the space in there. You have two lungs, but they aren't the same size the way your eyes or nostrils are. Instead, the lung on the left side of your body is a bit smaller than the lung on the right. This extra space on the left leaves room for your heart.



Your lungs are protected by your rib cage, which is made up of 12 sets of ribs. These ribs are connected to your spine in your back and go around your lungs to keep them safe. Beneath the lungs is the diaphragm, a dome-shaped muscle that works with your lungs to allow you to inhale (breathe in) and exhale (breathe out) air.



You can't see your lungs, but it's easy to feel them in action: Put your hands on your chest and breathe in very deeply. You will feel your chest getting slightly bigger. Now breathe out the air, and feel your chest return to its regular size. You've just felt the power of your lungs!



 



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Why do I have a heart?



Your heart is really a muscle. It's located a little to the left of the middle of your chest, and it's about the size of your fist. There are lots of muscles all over your body — in your arms, in your legs, in your back, even in your behind.



But the heart muscle is special because of what it does. The heart sends blood around your body. The blood provides your body with the oxygen and nutrients it needs. It also carries away waste.



Your heart is sort of like a pump or two pumps in one. The right side of your heart receives blood from the body and pumps it to the lungs. The left side of the heart does the exact opposite: It receives blood from the lungs and pumps it out to the body.



 Before each beat, your heart fills with blood. Then its muscle contracts to squirt the blood along. When the heart contracts, it squeezes — try squeezing your hand into a fist. That's sort of like what your heart does so it can squirt out the blood. Your heart does this all day and all night, all the time. The heart is one hard worker!



 



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Do animals have DNA?



Yes, all of them do, actually. And not just animals. Every living thing on Earth-including single-celled bacteria, trees and plants – has DNA in its cells. You might expect to share many genes with a chimpanzee or bonobo, our closest living relatives, but did you know also share genes with that banana the chimp is chomping?



 



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Why do I look the way I look?



Everything you see in the mirror- from your height to your hair colour to the dimple (or lack thereof) on your chin – is written into nearly every cell of your DNA, spiraling chains of proteins found in every cell in your body. Think of DNA as your body’s instruction manual. It tells your cells how to grow into organs, hair, teeth, fingernails, your tongue, and every single other part of your body. Stretches of DNA (called genes) are like pages in that instruction manual. Genes control what you will look like, plus less obvious traits such as whether you have perfect vision or the ability to curl your tongue.



 



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Why do skunks smell like the worst thing ever?



The skunk is a mammal primarily known for secreting a foul, noxious-smelling oily liquid from its anal glands and spraying it from its rear end when it feels threatened. Also known as polecats, skunks are classified in the Mephitidae family (or ‘skunk family’), which is in the order Carnivora. There are 12 known species of mephitis, most of which are found in the Western hemisphere (especially in the Americas).



Skunks come in a variety of sizes; they range from 15 to 37 inches long, 15 to 28 inches tall, and weigh between 0.5 and 8.2 kilograms (1.1-18 lbs). Their bodies are moderately elongated and consist of well-muscled legs. Skunks usually have long front claws that help them to dig.



Skunks reek because they have glands in their butts loaded with an icky musk. Skunk spray smells so bad because it consists of a mixture of chemicals containing sulfur (such as thiols), which are notorious for their pungent and nauseating odor, basically like the smell that rotten eggs have.



Many creatures of the animal kingdom are quite popular/notorious among humans for a variety of reasons: lions are known for their loud, thunderous roar, ostriches are known for burying their heads in the sand when they sense danger (which, by the way, is a myth), and skunks are known for their signature stinky spray. This spray is released from a skunk’s anus, and is notorious for its incredibly disgusting odor.



 



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Why is your snot yellow?



Snot gets it’s yellow (and eventually green) color a chemical in your white blood cells, which your body unleashes to fight infection. Yellow mucus is a sign that whatever virus or infection you have is taking hold. The good news? Your body is fighting back. The yellow color comes from the cells — white blood cells, for example — rushing to kill the offending germs. Once the cells have done their work, they’re discarded in your snot and tinge it a yellowish-brown.



Your illness may last anywhere from 10 to 14 days, but keep an eye on your nasal discharge.



If your immune system kicks into high gear to fight infection, your snot may turn green and become especially thick. The color comes from dead white blood cells and other waste products.



But green snot isn’t always a reason to run to your doctor. In fact, some sinus infection may be viral, not bacterial.



Still, if you’ve had your cold or infection for 12 days or more, it may be a good time to make an appointment. You may have a bacterial sinus infection or another bacterial infection that requires medication. Look for other signs you’re not getting better, like fever, headache, or nausea.



 



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