The human body
You carry a useful reference point everywhere: yourself. These questions turn the body into a guessing challenge, while keeping definitions and any important qualifications beside the answer.
50 available questions in English
Play this categoryHow many bones are in a typical adult human skeleton?
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206
How many bones are in a typical adult human skeleton?
The standard adult count is 206 bones, though individual variation exists.
How many permanent teeth are in a complete adult set, including wisdom teeth?
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32
How many permanent teeth are in a complete adult set, including wisdom teeth?
The full set has 32 teeth; many adults lack some wisdom teeth.
How many milk teeth are in a complete childhood set?
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20
How many milk teeth are in a complete childhood set?
The 20 milk teeth are gradually replaced as the permanent set develops.
How many bones are in a typical human hand, including the wrist?
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27
How many bones are in a typical human hand, including the wrist?
The hand’s 27 bones combine strength with a wide range of movement.
How many bones are in a typical human foot?
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26
How many bones are in a typical human foot?
The foot’s 26 bones help support weight and absorb impacts.
How many bones form the adult skull, excluding the tiny ear bones and the hyoid?
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22
How many bones form the adult skull, excluding the tiny ear bones and the hyoid?
The standard skull count is 22 bones, including the lower jaw.
How many bones form the braincase, excluding the facial bones?
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8
How many bones form the braincase, excluding the facial bones?
These 8 bones surround and protect the brain.
How many ribs does a typical adult human have in total?
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24
How many ribs does a typical adult human have in total?
The usual total is 24 ribs, arranged symmetrically on both sides.
How many vertebrae are in the human neck?
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7
How many vertebrae are in the human neck?
The 7 cervical vertebrae include the atlas and axis near the skull.
How many thoracic vertebrae does a human normally have?
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12
How many thoracic vertebrae does a human normally have?
The 12 thoracic vertebrae connect with the ribs.
How many lumbar vertebrae does a human usually have?
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5
How many lumbar vertebrae does a human usually have?
The 5 lumbar vertebrae bear much of the upper body’s weight.
How many carpal bones are in a human wrist?
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8
How many carpal bones are in a human wrist?
The 8 carpal bones form a compact bridge between the forearm and hand.
How many tarsal bones are in a human foot?
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7
How many tarsal bones are in a human foot?
The 7 tarsal bones include the heel bone, or calcaneus.
How many tiny auditory bones are in each human middle ear?
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3
How many tiny auditory bones are in each human middle ear?
The 3 ossicles are the malleus, incus and stapes.
How many chambers does a normal human heart have?
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4
How many chambers does a normal human heart have?
The heart’s 4 chambers separate incoming blood from outgoing blood.
How many main valves does a normal human heart have?
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4
How many main valves does a normal human heart have?
The 4 main valves keep blood moving in the right direction.
How many lobes do the human lungs have in total?
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5
How many lobes do the human lungs have in total?
The 5 lobes are shared unevenly because the heart occupies space on the left.
How many main blood groups are in the ABO system, ignoring positive or negative status?
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4
How many main blood groups are in the ABO system, ignoring positive or negative status?
The 4 ABO groups are A, B, AB and O.
How many main types of white blood cells are distinguished in a standard blood differential?
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5
How many main types of white blood cells are distinguished in a standard blood differential?
The 5 main types play different roles in the immune system.
How many numbered pairs of cranial nerves are conventionally taught in human anatomy?
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12
How many numbered pairs of cranial nerves are conventionally taught in human anatomy?
The traditional list has 12 pairs, including the optic and vagus nerves.
How many pairs of spinal nerves does a human normally have?
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31
How many pairs of spinal nerves does a human normally have?
The 31 pairs link the spinal cord with much of the body.
How many chromosomes are in a normal human body cell with a nucleus?
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46
How many chromosomes are in a normal human body cell with a nucleus?
The usual count is 46, arranged in matching pairs.
How many chromosomes does a normal mature human sperm cell carry?
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23
How many chromosomes does a normal mature human sperm cell carry?
Each sperm normally carries 23 chromosomes, half the usual body-cell total.
How many standard types of DNA bases make up the human genetic code?
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4
How many standard types of DNA bases make up the human genetic code?
The 4 standard bases are usually represented by A, T, G and C.
How many main layers form the skin itself, excluding the tissue underneath it?
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2
How many main layers form the skin itself, excluding the tissue underneath it?
The skin’s 2 layers are the epidermis and dermis.
How many traditional pairs of major salivary glands does a human have?
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3
How many traditional pairs of major salivary glands does a human have?
The 3 pairs are the parotid, submandibular and sublingual glands.
How many traditional types of papillae are found on the human tongue?
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4
How many traditional types of papillae are found on the human tongue?
There are 4 types, and some serve touch rather than taste.
About how many days does a human red blood cell live, rounded to a whole day?
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120 days
About how many days does a human red blood cell live, rounded to a whole day?
A red blood cell circulates for about 120 days days before being recycled.
Conventionally, how many days is pregnancy dated from the first day of the last menstrual period?
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280 days
Conventionally, how many days is pregnancy dated from the first day of the last menstrual period?
The conventional due-date calculation uses 280 days days, though actual births vary.
About how long is a typical adult sleep cycle in minutes, rounded to a whole minute?
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90 min
About how long is a typical adult sleep cycle in minutes, rounded to a whole minute?
A typical cycle lasts about 90 min minutes, with substantial variation across the night.
What is the traditional normal body temperature in Fahrenheit, rounded to the nearest whole degree?
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99°F
What is the traditional normal body temperature in Fahrenheit, rounded to the nearest whole degree?
The traditional benchmark rounds to 99°F degrees Fahrenheit; actual temperatures vary.
About how many square meters of skin does an adult have, rounded to a whole square meter?
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2 m²
About how many square meters of skin does an adult have, rounded to a whole square meter?
An adult’s skin covers about 2 m² square meters after rounding.
How many heads does the biceps brachii muscle normally have?
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2
How many heads does the biceps brachii muscle normally have?
The biceps normally has 2 heads that join into one muscle belly.
How many muscles traditionally make up the quadriceps group at the front of the thigh?
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4
How many muscles traditionally make up the quadriceps group at the front of the thigh?
The group’s 4 muscles work together to straighten the knee.
How many muscles make up the shoulder’s rotator cuff?
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4
How many muscles make up the shoulder’s rotator cuff?
These 4 muscles help stabilize the shoulder while the arm moves.
How many cerebral hemispheres does the human brain have?
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2
How many cerebral hemispheres does the human brain have?
The 2 cerebral hemispheres communicate through bundles of nerve fibers.
How many meningeal layers surround the brain and spinal cord?
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3
How many meningeal layers surround the brain and spinal cord?
The 3 meningeal layers protect the central nervous system.
How many semicircular canals are in each human inner ear?
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3
How many semicircular canals are in each human inner ear?
The 3 canals detect rotational movements in different directions.
How many wisdom teeth are in a complete typical adult set?
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4
How many wisdom teeth are in a complete typical adult set?
The full set includes 4 wisdom teeth, though many people develop fewer.
How many incisor teeth are in a complete adult human set?
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8
How many incisor teeth are in a complete adult human set?
The 8 incisors at the front of the mouth help cut food.
In what year did Vesalius publish his landmark anatomy book De humani corporis fabrica?
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1543
In what year did Vesalius publish his landmark anatomy book De humani corporis fabrica?
Published in 1543, the book used detailed illustrations to explain human anatomy.
In what year did William Harvey publish his landmark account of blood circulation?
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1628
In what year did William Harvey publish his landmark account of blood circulation?
Harvey’s 1628 book explained how the heart drives blood around the body.
In what year did Karl Landsteiner publish his landmark paper on human blood groups?
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1901
In what year did Karl Landsteiner publish his landmark paper on human blood groups?
The 1901 paper helped explain why some blood transfusions failed.
In what year did Christiaan Barnard perform the first human-to-human heart transplant?
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1967
In what year did Christiaan Barnard perform the first human-to-human heart transplant?
The pioneering operation took place in Cape Town in 1967.
In what year was Louise Brown, the first baby born through IVF, born?
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1978
In what year was Louise Brown, the first baby born through IVF, born?
Louise Brown’s birth in 1978 marked a milestone in reproductive medicine.
In what year was the first long-term successful human kidney transplant performed between twins?
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1954
In what year was the first long-term successful human kidney transplant performed between twins?
The Boston operation in 1954 used a kidney from an identical twin.
In what year was the original Human Genome Project declared complete?
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2003
In what year was the original Human Genome Project declared complete?
The project was declared complete in 2003; later work filled additional gaps.
In what year did the World Health Assembly declare smallpox eradicated?
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1980
In what year did the World Health Assembly declare smallpox eradicated?
The declaration came in 1980, after a worldwide vaccination campaign.
About how much does an adult human heart weigh in grams, using the usual rounded estimate?
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300 g
About how much does an adult human heart weigh in grams, using the usual rounded estimate?
A common estimate is about 300 g grams, with variation by body size and sex.
How many main cartilages form the human larynx, counting paired cartilages separately?
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9
How many main cartilages form the human larynx, counting paired cartilages separately?
The larynx has 9 main cartilages, including the thyroid cartilage around the voice box.
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