all of the atoms in your body are swapped out every seven years or so.
I’m not sure exactly what’s true, but what you’re saying seems like a factoid that gets repeated a lot but isn’t really 100% true.
Structural stuff like the calcium in your bones… it would be interesting if it was really replaced on a schedule like that. It wouldn’t shock me if it was getting replaced, but it would certainly be cool to learn how that would work.
Is the lens in your eye getting replaced like that? I’m trying to think of body parts that seem to not get constant automatic maintenance. How about the enamel on your teeth? Really replaced every 7 years?
Or if we’re really just talking about atoms in your body, then famously the problem with heavy metal poisoning is that your body can’t get rid of it. So, is it being replaced or is your body getting rid of it? Or… is it just there from before?
And if you want to get really pedantic, and I always do, what fun… Things like artificial hips or breast implants are definitely in people’s bodies longer than 7 years but are not getting their atoms replaced.
My understanding of this factoid is that it has more to do with atoms tendency to swap particles when they bump into each other. So it’s sort of through attrition all of the atomic particles in your body are swapped out over the course of about seven years. So like as oxygen and carbon dioxide, for instance, move in and out of your brain and other tissues they leave electrons and shit behind and take some with them. But it also wouldn’t be the first time I had misunderstood something.
I’m not sure exactly what’s true, but what you’re saying seems like a factoid that gets repeated a lot but isn’t really 100% true.
Structural stuff like the calcium in your bones… it would be interesting if it was really replaced on a schedule like that. It wouldn’t shock me if it was getting replaced, but it would certainly be cool to learn how that would work.
Is the lens in your eye getting replaced like that? I’m trying to think of body parts that seem to not get constant automatic maintenance. How about the enamel on your teeth? Really replaced every 7 years?
Or if we’re really just talking about atoms in your body, then famously the problem with heavy metal poisoning is that your body can’t get rid of it. So, is it being replaced or is your body getting rid of it? Or… is it just there from before?
And if you want to get really pedantic, and I always do, what fun… Things like artificial hips or breast implants are definitely in people’s bodies longer than 7 years but are not getting their atoms replaced.
My understanding of this factoid is that it has more to do with atoms tendency to swap particles when they bump into each other. So it’s sort of through attrition all of the atomic particles in your body are swapped out over the course of about seven years. So like as oxygen and carbon dioxide, for instance, move in and out of your brain and other tissues they leave electrons and shit behind and take some with them. But it also wouldn’t be the first time I had misunderstood something.