The Washington Post - 21.10.2019

C8 EZ RE THE WASHINGTON POST.MONDAY, OCTOBER 21 , 2019

There are also different kinds of

bone cells. The outside of all bones is

made up of smooth, compact bone,

but inside the tips of many bones

you’ll find a dense tangle of bone

strands, kind of like a sponge or a

spider’s web.

The largest bone in the whole

skeleton is called the femur, which is

in your thigh. The smallest bones are

inside your ear, and they are known as

the hammer (malleus), stirrup

(stapes) and anvil (incus). Also, the

human skull isn’t one bone but a

three-dimensional puzzle made up of

22 bones.

But that’s nothing compared with

your fingers and toes. Believe it or

not, more than half of all the bones in

your body are found in the hands and

feet.

It’s easy to take our bones for

granted. After all, we tend to forget

they’re even there unless something

goes wrong and we break one. But

humans are one of a select few

animals lucky enough to have a

skeleton. In fact, of all the animals

discovered by scientists, just 4 percent

have bones beneath their skin. The

rest are known as invertebrates —

animals that lack vertebrae or a spinal

column.

So this Halloween, as you eat a lot

of candy, make sure to chase it down

with a big glass of milk. Your skeleton

needs the bone-strengthening

calcium. And you need your skeleton.

[email protected]

With Halloween just

around the corner,

spooky skeletons are

everywhere this time

of year. But how much

do you really know

about the bones beneath your skin?

For instance, did you know that

bones start growing when a baby is

still inside its mother’s womb but that

the skeleton is only partly complete at

birth? From the top of the head to the

tiniest toe, adults have 206 bones

throughout their bodies. But kids

actually have about 300 bone “parts,”

according to an exhibit called

“Skeleton Keys” from the Smithsonian

National Museum of Natural History.

If you’re wondering what happens

to all those extra pieces, well, they

fuse together as you age. In fact, a

person’s skeleton can keep growing

and fusing until their 25th birthday.

Here’s another interesting fact.

Even though skeletons are most often

associated with the dead, the bones

inside your body right now are

100 percent alive. Larger bones such

as the hips are hollow and contain a

jellylike substance called marrow.

Marrow is where the body creates red

blood cells, which carry oxygen

throughout your body, and white

blood cells, which seek and destroy

invaders such as bacteria and viruses.

Marrow also acts as a storehouse for

fats, which are released when the

body needs energy. You see, bones do

a lot more than help you stand up!

In humans, bones provide a miraculous framework for life

BIRTHDAYS OF THE WEEK

MONDAY, OCTOBER 21

Reality TV star Kim Kardashian (1980).

Actress Carrie Fisher (1956).

Jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie (1917).

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 22

Arlington’s Harriet Sammis (2007).

Rapper 21 Savage (1992).

Figure skater Brian Boitano (1963).

Actor Jeff Goldblum (1952).

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 23

Arlington’s Eliana Procida (2009).

Actress/activist Amandla Stenberg

(1998).

R&B singer Miguel (1985).

Actor Ryan Reynolds (1976).

Author Gordon Korman (1963).

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 24

The Wizards’ Garrison Mathews (1996).

Gymnast Kyla Ross (1996).

Rapper Drake (1986).

Inventor Marjorie Joyner (1896).

FRIDAY, OCTOBER^25

The Nationals’ Juan Soto (1998).

R&B singer Ciara (1985).

Pop singer Katy Perry (1984).

Artist Pablo Picasso (1881).

SATURDAY, OCTOBER^26

Rockville’s Levi Goslee (2009).

Former secretary of state Hillary

Clinton (1947).

Gospel singer Mahalia Jackson (1911).

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 27

Washington’s Alexander Lester-

McMinn (2010).

Actress Ruby Dee (1922).

Former president Theodore Roosevelt

(1858).

Violinist Nicolò Paganini (1782).

Sammis

Procida

Birthday announcements are for ages 6 to 13 and are

printed on a first-come, first-served basis. They do

not appear online. A parent or legal guardian must

give permission. We need photos at least a month

ahead of publication. We need names (if photos are

not desired) at least a week before publication.

Include name, address and birth date (with year of

birth). Fill out the online form at kidspost.com or send

the information to KidsPost, The Washington Post,

1301 K St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071.

Goslee

Lester-McMinn

Soto

kidspost

CHIP SAYS

The hyoid bone is the only bone that is not

connected to a joint. Located in your neck, its job is

to hold your tongue in place.

TODAY

This sunny, dry day could be enhanced

with pleasant temperatures in the

upper 60s or low 70s.

KIDSPOST.COM

Pumpkins come in all sizes

— even the size of a car.

We’ve got photos of some

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