are essential for almost all
living creatures, whether on the inside or the outside of their bodies.
For humans, bones perform many functions.
Bones hold all the soft parts of our body in position.
They give us the
shape we have. The are the only
hard tissue, and they include the
teeth.
Bones give our muscles something to work
against. The form part of the brain-muscle-bone
system.
Bone has to be rigid, but not too rigid. It must not be
brittle, and it must not bend too far. It must be able
to take tension (stretching) and also compression. It
must also be light.
Bone must maintain its function while growing. It must
also be
self-healing. Bone can mend itself while we
move about. (Crutches, or a
sling also help)
Bones must articulate, or
move properly where they meet. At the joints the have self-lubricating
pads which can last more that 120 years.
Bone is made of magnesium,
calcium, phosporus,
oxgen and hydrogen. It is alive, and contains a
blood
supply, nerves, and cologen fibres.
Mechanically, bone is vastly better than brick or
concrete. It is also better than wood, and better
than some metals. Weight for weight it is also a lot stronger than steel.
Bone is a composite material,
using several materials in combination. In a similar way, wagon
wheels are made of wood with a steel rim. The wood gains from the
steel, and the steel gains from the wood.
God
has designed our bones using several ideal materials. The minerals work
together with the flexible materials. One
without the other would
produce an inferior end product.
