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. 
© 2006 ChristArt, Inc.