All articles tagged with #anatomy
In 1991, a groundbreaking experiment used MRI technology to observe sexual intercourse in real time, challenging long-held assumptions about human anatomy and revealing new insights into the body's functioning during intimacy, with lasting influence on medical understanding and public curiosity.
The human body has approximately seven or eight topologically distinct holes, including the mouth, anus, nostrils, tear ducts, and possibly the vagina and fallopian tubes, depending on how connections are counted, with the count influenced by the topological perspective that considers how openings connect internally.
Some turtles, like side-neck turtles and box turtles, can tuck their heads into their shells as a defense mechanism, but sea turtles cannot due to their lighter shells. The turtle shell evolved over nearly 300 million years primarily for protection and support, with different species developing various ways to utilize or not utilize this feature. Fossil evidence shows the shell's evolution from wider ribs and other skeletal modifications, not solely for defense.
Scientists discovered that chameleons have spiral, coiled optic nerves that enable their eyes to move independently, a unique adaptation that allows them to scan their environment like security cameras before coordinating their vision to strike prey. This structure, previously overlooked due to traditional dissection methods, is present across multiple chameleon species and likely evolved as a response to their stiff necks, maximizing their visual range.
The article showcases 48 fascinating photos of the human body, highlighting its incredible ability to heal, adapt, and the various medical conditions and procedures, from wrinkles and extra teeth to complex surgeries and injuries.
A well-preserved early parviraptorid fossil from the Middle Jurassic reveals a mosaic of snake-like and primitive squamate features, challenging simple evolutionary models and highlighting complex morphological evolution during early squamate diversification.
Many organs in the human body are not essential for survival, and individuals can live functional lives without them, including the appendix, gallbladder, one kidney, parts of the digestive system, and even the lungs, though some organ removals require lifestyle adjustments and medical management.
The study refines the understanding of the mouse medial prefrontal cortex (MPF), especially the dorsal peduncular cortex (DP), revealing its unique anatomy, cell types, and neural connectivity, including its role in autonomic and behavioral regulation through specific cortical, thalamic, hypothalamic, and brainstem pathways.
Surgeons share intriguing and lesser-known facts about the human body, such as the potential for fallopian tubes to detour to the liver, the brain's mobility during surgery, and the resilience of skin, revealing the body's surprising complexities and resilience.
A collection of 41 fascinating and sometimes unsettling photos showcasing various aspects of the human body, including rare medical conditions, anatomical anomalies, and the effects of different health issues.
Researcher Brandon Moore of Louisiana Tech University had a surprise when dissecting an alligator and accidentally triggered an erect penis, which stays permanently erect due to layers of collagen. Unlike mammals and birds, the alligator penis doesn't need to inflate and is tucked behind a cloaca until needed. This unique feature allows for quick fertilization before being retracted. Other animals, like blue whales, also have unusual reproductive organs, with penises up to 10 feet long and testes weighing up to 150 pounds.
A collection of 43 wild photos of the human body showcases various medical conditions, rare disorders, and anatomical anomalies, including images of MRI scans during kissing, fringed fimbriated folds under the tongue, hearts in need of replacement, a heart beating outside the body, a woman pregnant with triplets, Marfan syndrome hands and eyes, hyperdontia with excessive teeth, close-ups of the human brain and eyes, teratomas, milk ducts, and various other medical conditions and rare disorders.
A collection of 49 fascinating and sometimes bizarre photos and facts about the human body, including unusual eye colors, medical conditions like Raynaud's syndrome and argyria, genetic anomalies such as heterochromia and adermatoglyphia, and remarkable healing processes. The images showcase everything from detached irises and kidney stones to dental X-rays and enlarged hearts, offering a unique glimpse into the complexity and diversity of the human body.
New research using HIFI sequencing suggests that starfish bodies are essentially just one giant head with no discernable trunk or torso, contrary to previous assumptions. The study found gene expressions corresponding to a head all over the sea stars, especially in the center of the body and each arm, but no signs of genes associated with a trunk. This challenges the traditional understanding of starfish anatomy and raises questions about the evolution of echinoderms.
Medical illustrators play a crucial role in medicine by using illustrations to teach complex scientific concepts, dating back to ancient Egypt and flourishing in the Renaissance. They employ special tools and training to visualize things that are normally hidden from the naked eye, including human gross anatomy and cellular structures. Medical illustrators also help conceptualize new processes and techniques, such as illustrating how an experimental drug may theoretically work before it enters testing, and are essential in pre-surgical planning, as demonstrated in the separation of conjoined twins. Specialized training in biomedical sciences and artistic techniques is required to ensure accurate and clear communication of complex scientific information.