Handy Facts

23 Handy Facts Did you ever stop to take a look at some of the amazing things we all sometimes take for granted? Like hands, for instance. Think about it. If we didn't have hands, we would never have been able to build the world we live in today. Have you ever seen a dog type on a keyboard with its paws, or a horse sew a pair of pants with its hooves? Our hands, and how we use our fingers and thumbs, make us very special. Here are some amazing facts about the hands attached to the ends of our arms. Fact 1: There are no muscles in your fingers. That's right. The muscles are in your palms and arms. Your fingers have tendons. Tendons are like strings in the fingers that actually control their movement-almost like a puppet. Fact 2: Your hand has about 29 major and minor bones, 29 major joints, and over 123 ligaments. There are 34 muscles in your arm and hand that allow your fingers to move.

We've all pricked one of our fingers with a sharp point, and it hurts. Why? Fact 3: There are 48 nerves in your hand. Nerves are small sensors that send signals to the brain when something is wrong. No wonder it hurts when you prick your finger! There are a lot of nerves there to send signals to your brain. What about your thumb? It's controlled by nine muscles and it's the most important part of your hand. How important? Well, two thousand years ago, Julius Caesar ordered that the thumbs of captured warriors be cut off so that they could not fight again. Even then, people realized that thumbs were important. In your brain, there is an area that controls all the movement in the body. About one quarter of this part of the brain is used just to control the muscles of the hands! Fingernails are amazing too. They're really just a type of hair! So, take a look at your hands. They are amazing tools. Be careful with them because hand injuries are common. Be good to your hands, and they'll serve you for an entire lifetime!