Bone Facts

   The word "skeleton" comes from ancient Greek meaning "dried up."

  Your skeleton is made up of 206 bones that are linked together to form a strong, but light supporting framework.

   Bones are alive.  The hard outside is made of tough fibers and minerals such as calcium, and living cells with their own
        supply of blood and nerves.

  Bone is six times stronger than a steel bar of the same weight.

All bones are held together by tough straps of fibrous tissue called ligaments.

The shortest bones are the three ossicles found in your ear.  the smallest of these is the stirrup bone, measuring a
      little more than an eighth of an inch (3 mm).

The longest bone is the femur, the bone in your thigh.  It provides the main support for your weight.

The knee is the largest joint in your body.  It is a hinge joint, like your elbow, and lets you swing your shin and foot, which
      is essential to walking.

Broken bones take about 3 months to heal.

Better food and health care mean that our skeletons are much bigger than those of our great-great-great-great-great
     grandparents.