Some very basic info on the human skeleton:

The human skeleton consists of 206 bones. At birth we have 275 bones, but some of these fuse together as we grow up. The skeleton supports us and allows us to move by the use of different kinds of joints. Some bones are connected to others in fixed joints, such as in the skull which consists of many bones. Others such as fingers and toes are connected in hinged joints and ball-and-socket joints such as the shoulders and hips. Bones also manufacture [blood cells and store important minerals.

The thigh bone, known as the femur, is the longest bone in the human body. The smallest bone is located inside the ear, and is called the stirrup bone because it is shaped like a small stirrup (The parts of a saddle where the riders feet are.) .

There are differences between the skeletons of a male and a female. Males tend to have slightly thicker and longer arms and legs, while females have a wider pelvis and a larger space within the pelvis, through which babies travel when they are born.

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