How Do Bones Grow?

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 Bones are some of the most amazing parts of our bodies—they’re alive, adaptable, and essential for everything we do. Let’s explore what they do, how they grow, and why they’re so important to human evolution.

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Episode Transcript

I Wonder Podcast (00:03):
Hey there, curious minds, welcome to
another episode of I Wonder, theshow where we explore the
questions you've been wonderingabout.
Today's question comes fromLillian, from Rochester, New
York, and she asked why do wehave bones?
What a solid question Lillian.
Bones are some of the mostamazing parts of our bodies.

(00:25):
They're alive, adaptable andessential for everything we do.
Let's explore what they do, howthey grow and why they're so
important to human evolution.

(01:49):
How do bones grow and change?
Bones begin developing beforeyou're even born and continue to
grow throughout childhood andinto your 20s.
Most of your growth happens atareas called growth plates,
located near the ends of longbones.
These plates are made ofcartilage which slowly turns

(02:11):
into a bone as you grow tallerand stronger.
By the time you're in your lateteens or early 20s, these growth
plates close and your bonesstop growing in length.
But if you've ever felt achesin your arms or legs, especially
at night, you might have beenexperiencing something called
growing pains.
Surprisingly, these aren'tcaused by your bones growing too

(02:33):
fast.
They're likely related to howyour muscles and ligaments
stretch and adjust as your bodychanges.
During childhood andadolescence, bones grow rapidly,
especially in the legs, andthis can put extra strain on the
surrounding tissues.
Doctors be linked to increasedactivity during day, like

(02:54):
running, jumping or playingsports All that movement can
make your muscles and ligamentsa little sore as they keep up
with your growing skeleton.
A little as they keep up withyour growing skeleton, ew gross.
The good news Growing pains areharmless and usually go away on
their own as you get older.
Even after your bones stopgrowing in size, they're still
very much alive.

(03:20):
Specialized cells calledosteoblasts build new bone,
while osteoclasts break down oldbone.
This process keeps yourskeleton strong and helps repair
damage like fractures.
Amazingly, your skeletonreplaces itself about every 10
years, so the bones you have nowaren't the same ones you had a

(03:44):
decade ago Bones like bodyguardsfor your vital organs.
Your skull acts like a helmetto protect your brain, while
your rib cage shields your heartand lungs.
Ouch, even smaller bones likethe vertebrae in your spine work

(04:07):
together to protect your spinalcord, which is the
communication superhighwaybetween your brain and the rest
of your body.
Amazing Bones also support softtissues like your face muscles.
Without bones like your jaw orcheekbones, your face wouldn't
hold its shape and without thelong bones in your legs,
standing upright and walkingwould be impossible.

(04:30):
HaWhere are all these bones?
Well, let's talk numbers.
Your body has 206 bones Whoa.
But can you guess where in thebody most of these bones are?
In the body, most of thesebones are.

(04:54):
.
Amazingly, more than half ofyour bones are located in your
hands and feet.
Each hand has 27 bones and eachfoot has 26, making them some
of the most intricate andflexible parts of your skeleton.
These small bones work togetherto let you write, throw, climb

(05:16):
and dance, all with amazingprecision.
The smallest bone in your bodyis the stapes located in your
middle ear.
Shaped like a tiny stirrup, "whystapes is part of a trio of
bones called the ossicles, alongwith the malleus hammer and the
incus anvil, the stapestransmit sound from your eardrum

(05:40):
to your inner ear, makinghearing possible.
On the other end of the scale,the femur or the thigh bone is
the largest and strongest bonein your body.
It supports your upper bodyweight and is crucial for
movement like running andwalking.
Inside many of your bones isbone marrow, a spongy material

(06:04):
that produces millions of bloodcells every day.
Red blood cells carry oxygenthroughout your body, while
white blood cells help fight offinfections.
Without bone marrow, your bodywouldn't have the blood it needs
to survive.
Nope, bones also act as storagecenters for minerals like

(06:24):
calcium and phosphorus.
These minerals are essentialfor keeping your muscles, nerves
and heart working properly.
When your body needs more, itwithdraws these minerals from
your bones.
When there's extra to spare, itdeposits them right back.
It's kind of like your body'spersonal savings account.

(06:47):
Have bones evolved over time?
Well, bones haven't changedmuch in number over the last
thousands of years, but they'veevolved significantly over
millions of years.
Early humans, for example, hadthicker, denser bones to help
them survive harsh climates andclimb trees.
As humans began walking upright, our skeletons adapted the

(07:13):
pelvis became shorter and widerfor balance and the spine
developed a curve to absorb theimpact of walking and running.
To absorb the impact of walkingand running.
In more recent history, ashumans shifted from hunting to
farming, bones became lighter.
Farming required less physicalstrength, and changes in diet

(07:33):
may have also contributed toless dense skeletons.
These adaptations show howclosely our bones are tied to
the way we live and survive.
Here are a few amazing bonefacts to wrap your head around.
Pound for pound, bone isstronger than steel.

(07:54):
It can handle more pressurewithout breaking.
Your skull is made up of 22bones that fuse together over
time, protecting your brainwhile giving your head its shape
.
And here's another one Babies'skulls have soft spots called
fontanelles that allow theirheads to flex during birth and

(08:17):
grow as their brains expand.
Taking care of your bones.
Strong bones start with goodhabits.
Eating calcium rich foods likedairy products, leafy greens and
almonds gives your bones thebuilding blocks they need.
Vitamin D, which you get fromsunlight and certain foods,

(08:38):
helps your body absorb calcium.
Exercise, especially activitieslike running, jumping or
dancing, puts healthy stress onyour bones, making them stronger
and denser over time.
So, to answer Lillian'squestion, why do we have bones?
Bones give us shape, protectour organs, help us move,

(09:01):
produce blood cells and storeessential minerals.
They're alive, adaptable andconstantly working to keep us
healthy and strong.
From the tiniest bone in yourear to the strongest one in your
thigh, your skeleton is anincredible piece of engineering
that lets us live, play andthrive.

(09:23):
Thanks again to Lillian forsuch a fantastic question and
remember, if you have a questionyou're curious about, submit it
on our website, iwonderpodcast.
com, and we might just featureit in our next episode of I

(09:44):
wonder.
Until next time, stay curiousand keep wondering.