Hey Simpson, your epidermis is showing!

Melissa Hiebert Staff

The Funny Bone

Ever wonder why you get that tingly feeling all over when you bump your elbow on something? This is due to a nerve called the ulnar nerve, dubbed “the funny bone.” Actually, it isn’t really a bone at all, but rather a long nerve that runs down the arm. It is believed that this nerve got its name for two different reasons, one being that it is close to the “humerus,” (the armbone that runs from the shoulder to the elbow) and the other being the tingling feeling that is experienced when it is bumped. This sensation occurs because when the nerve is bumped it gets momentarily compressed. The ulnar nerve links the central nervous system to the forearm and the hand muscles.

Nails

Nails are made of protein, and are kind of similar to hair in composition. Nails grow at a fairly slow rate, (about 0.1 millimetre per day), and take an average three to six months to completely regenerate. Toenails take even longer to grow, and can take up to a year and a half to completely grow back. But I remember when I dropped a bowling ball on my big toe and a couple of weeks later the nail fell off. The new nail was already half formed under the old one. Sometimes nails form with grooves in them, which occurs particularly whenever someone has a major illness. White spots on the nails can demonstrate nutrient deficiency. Lee Redmond holds the world record for the longest fingernails, measuring seven and a half metres long. Throughout history, pulling off nails has been a widely-practised form of torture, since it is extremely painful yet leaves no permanent damage.

Skin

Skin is made up of many different tissues. Skin is present in order to protect organs and muscles, regulate heat, detect sensation and act as a barrier between your body and your environment. The outer layer of the skin is called the epidermis, and under that layer is the dermis, which contains blood vessels, glands and nerves. The skin is about 2-3 millimetres thick and the largest organ of the body, accounting for 15 per cent of body weight and with an average surface area of 25 square feet. We shed about 600,000 particles of skin every hour, and by the time you reach the age of 70, you will have shed about 105 pounds of skin.

Tongue

The tongue is made up of a bunch of different muscles, used to assist in eating food as well as speech. The top part of the tongue (the dorsal side) is covered with many bumps called papillae. Most of the papillae have tastebuds on the top of them. The bottom of the tongue is covered with a mucus membrane. The tongue is the only muscle in the body that is only attached at one end, and comparative to its size, it is the strongest muscle in the body. We have about 10,000 tastebuds on average, and that number decreases as you get older. The back part of the tongue tastes things that are bitter, while the tip tastes things that are sweet. The sides pick out tastes that are sour or salty.