Basal body temperature is the temperature of the body under conditions of absolute rest. It is the lowest temperature attained by the body when at complete rest, which is usually during sleep.
Human Anatomy

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1 AnswerRealAge answeredMucous membranes are moist tissues that contain mucous glands. These membranes line and protect many body parts including the nose, eyelids, mouth, lungs, vagina, urinary tract and digestive tract. The mucous glands within the membranes release a thick fluid called mucus, which helps to keep the membranes moist. The mucus also helps trap bacteria and other disease-causing pathogens and prevent them from infecting the body.
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1 AnswerDr. Mehmet Oz, MD , Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answeredThe most active muscles in your body aren't the ones in your legs, back, or arms; they're the ones in your eyes. Your eyes have over 2 million working parts and the ability to process 36,000 bits of information every hour (that's a lot of information; to put it in perspective, 36,000 is about the number of people who fit in a sold-out Fenway Park in Boston).
What's more, your eyes are always moving-even when they're not open (remember, REM sleep stands for rapid eye movement). That makes your eyes one of your body's most powerful tools.
It's so powerful, in fact, that many cultures have used the eyes as symbols of power. There's the evil eye, which is described by many cultures as having such a mystical quality that you can inflict malice on someone through a gaze. There's the center of a hurricane (while the actual eye of a hurricane is a relatively calm place, the most violent weather occurs right outside of it). And let's not forget the ultimate measurement of perfection for an archer or dart-thrower-a bull's eye. -
1 AnswerJumo Health answered
Lysosomes are recycling machines located inside cells. Each lysosome contains many smaller machines called enzymes. One enzyme, acid alpha-glucosidase, also known as GAA, breaks down glycogen into glucose. Cells in the body can then use the glucose to fuel the body in between meals or during exercise.
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1 AnswerParkland Medical Center answeredThe mesothelium is a membrane that covers and protects most of the internal organs of the body. It is composed of two layers of cells: One layer immediately surrounds the organ; the other forms a sac around it. The mesothelium produces a lubricating fluid that is released between these layers, allowing moving organs (such as the beating heart and the expanding and contracting lungs) to glide easily against adjacent structures.
The mesothelium has different names, depending on its location in the body. The peritoneum is the mesothelial tissue that covers most of the organs in the abdominal cavity. The pleura is the membrane that surrounds the lungs and lines the wall of the chest cavity. The pericardium covers and protects the heart. The mesothelial tissue surrounding the male internal reproductive organs is called the tunica vaginalis testis. The tunica serosa uteri covers the internal reproductive organs in women.
This answer is based on source information from the National Cancer Institute. -
1 AnswerRiverside Center for Neurosciences answered
The back is an intricate structure of bones, muscles, and other tissues that form the posterior of the body's trunk, from the neck to the pelvis. The centerpiece is the spinal column, which supports the weight of the upper body and contains and protects the spinal cord - the delicate structure of the nervous system that carries signals that control the body's movements and conveys its sensations. Stacked on top of one another are more than 30 bones - the vertebrae - that form the spinal column, also known as the spine. Each of these bones contains a circular hole that is stacked in register with the others, creating a channel that surrounds the spinal cord. The spinal cord descends from the base of the brain and extends in an adult to just below the rib cage. Small nerves (roots) enter and emerge from the spinal cord through spaces between the vertebrae. Because the bones of the spinal column continue growing long after the spinal cord reaches its full length in early childhood, the nerve roots to the lower back and legs extend many inches down the spinal column before exiting. Early anatomists named this large bundle of nerve roots the cauda equina, or horse's tail. The spaces between the vertebrae are maintained by round, spongy pads of cartilage called intervertebral discs that enable flexibility in the lower back and act much like shock absorbers throughout the spinal column to cushion the bones as the body moves. Bands of tissue known as ligaments and tendons hold the vertebrae in place and attach the muscles to the spinal column.
In sequence starting from the top, the spine has four regions:
The seven cervical or neck vertebrae, labeled C1-C7The 12 thoracic or upper back vertebrae, labeled T1-T12The five lumbar vertebrae, labeled L1-L5, which we know as the lower backThe sacrum and coccyx, a group of bones fused together at the base of the spineThe lumbar region of the back, where most back pain is felt, supports the weight of the upper body.
This answer is based on source information from The National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes.
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2 AnswersDiscovery Health answeredThe ancient Greeks used the term 'humors' to describe a liquid or semiliquid substance in the body. Hippocrates, of ancient Greece, believed in the theory of four 'humors' -- yellow bile, black bile, phlegm and blood.
The theory holds that good health results when the four humors are in balance. Any imbalance, however, results in an illness or a personality problem. -
1 AnswerDiscovery Health answered
Opponents of evolution, including proponents of intelligent design or creationism, say that there is no such thing as vestigial organs, because a creator would not design something imperfectly or without a purpose.
At a minimum, those who doubt evolution reject the notion that an atrophied organ proves there was a common ancestor. One common argument that is used is that if we do not know the purpose a body part, it may be because of a lack of anatomical knowledge.
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2 AnswersMike Allard, NASM Elite Trainer , Fitness, answered
"Human Anatomy" (6th edition) by Frederic H. Martini, Michael J. Timmons, Robert B. Tallitsch. This book is pricier than some but definitely worth the cost.
Another of my favorite anatomy resources is "Netter's Anatomy Flash Cards". This is a fantastic tool for studying and review. They are easy to understand and very detailed.
Both items can be found on sites like Amazon.com -
3 AnswersGeralyn Coopersmith , Fitness, answeredThe way you store fat determines whether you have an apple or pear shaped body. In this video, exercise physiologist and fitness trainer Geralyn Coopersmith explains why body shape matters.