Wt Dv 033080

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/wt-dv-033080 1/60

The

l i t tle book

o f f as t f ac ts

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


The Big Picture little book of fast facts

Big Picture is the Wellcome Trust’s educational magazine,created for post-16 students, teachers and anyoneinterested in learning more about biology and medicine.Each issue is on a diff erent topic in biology and comes

with its own sprinkling of ‘fast facts’, fascinating snippetsof information on the topic.

In this book, we’ve brought together the best of the fast

facts from our last 14 issues, and a few more for goodmeasure, and sorted them into eight themes. Use themin project work, as part of lessons or even just to astoundyour friends. We hope you enjoy them!

Share your thoughts or your own fast facts by [email protected]. Find out more atwww.wellcome.ac.uk/bigpicture .

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

Contents

2 The bra in

16 D isease

28 E volu t ion 36 Genes

42 Se x & gender

56 Food & d ie t

80 The bod y

92 Appl ied sc ience

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


THE BRAIN

Our brains form amillion new connectionsevery second of ourlives.

Phillips. New Scientist 2005;2527. LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

The bra in

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


THE BRAIN

The hippocampus – a brainregion involved in spatial

navigation – is bigger thannormal in London taxidrivers, who must pass ‘theKnowledge’, a test based onthe city’s layout.

Maguire et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA2000;97(8):4398–403.Left: Deejpilot/iStockphoto. LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


THE BRAIN

The adult brain containsaround 100 billionneurons and even moresupport cells.

Magill’s Medical Guide. 1998. p. 221.Left: Neurons. Yirui Sun/Wellcome Images LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


THE BRAIN

Your brain uses lesspower than yourrefrigerator light –

just 12 watts.

Times 2008 28 March.Left: Dominik Pabis/iStockphoto

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


THE BRAIN

There are no painreceptors in the brain,so brain surgery orinjury can occur withoutcausing pain. The scalpand skull, however, are

sensitive to pain.

Coon, Mitterer. Introduction to Psychology: Gateways tomind and behavior. 2008.Left: Brain surgery. Wellcome Library

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


THE BRAIN

The total length of myelinated nerve fibresin the brain is between150000 and 180000km(enough to go aroundthe Earth about four

times).

Marner et al. J Comp Neurol 2003;462:144–52.Left: Myelinated nerve fibres.Dr David Furness/Wellcome Images LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


THE BRAIN

Your brain accountsfor just 3 per cent of

your body’s weight butconsumes 17 per centof your body’s totalenergy.

Times 2008 28 March.Left: Artwork. Chris Nurse/Wellcome Images LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


DISEASE

Around 13 per cent of alldeaths worldwide were

caused by cancer in2008 – some 7.6 millionpeople.

International Agency for Research on Cancer.GLOBOCAN 2008. LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

D isease

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


DISEASE

The number of childrenunder five dying each

year, worldwide, fell frommore than 12 million in1990 to 7.6 million in2010 – but that’s still 14

deaths per minute.

Guardian online 2011 16 September.Left: Ridofranz/iStockphoto LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


DISEASE

The three leading globalcauses of premature death

and disability in 2030 areprojected to be HIV/AIDS,depression and ischaemicheart disease (where theblood supply to the heart is

reduced).

Mathers, Loncar. PLoS Med 2006;3(11):e442.Left: Artwork. Darren Hopes/Wellcome Images LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


DISEASE

Chemotherapy can leadto hair loss because the

hair follicle epithelialcells – like cancer cells –divide rapidly and,hence, are targeted by

many anticancer drugs.

Scientific American 2001 5 January.Left: Human scalp. Spike Walker/Wellcome Images LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


DISEASE

Worldwide, 33.3 millionpeople were estimated to

be living with HIV/AIDS atthe end of 2009. In this year,there were an estimated1.8m deaths and 2.6m newinfections.

World Health Organization.Left: Cut-away model of HIV.

John Wildgoose/Wellcome Images LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS DISEASE

The World HealthOrganization estimates

that climate change isthe cause of around150 000 deaths and5 million illnesses per

year. This is expectedto double by 2030.Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.Left: VikaValter/iStockphoto

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


EVOLUTION

Starfish are our distantcousins. Sea urchins and

other echinoderms arethe closest relatives of the vertebrates.

Sodergren et al. Science 2006;314:941–52. LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

E volu t ion

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS EVOLUTION

Analysis of DNA frommuseum specimens

revealed that the dodowas a type of pigeon.

Shapiro et al. Science 2002;295:1683.Left: Wellcome Library

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


EVOLUTION

Mus spretus and Musdomesticus look similar,

but crosses between thesetwo species of mouse failto produce off springbecause of a single geneticincompatibility.

Pilder et al. Genetics 1991;129:237–46.Left: Wellcome Images LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


EVOLUTION

Most living things canmake vitamin C, but

some that can’t –including humans, otherprimates, guinea pigsand bats – rely on their

diet to get it.

www.last-word.comLeft: Scanning electron micrographof a fruit bat tongue. Kevin MacKenzie,

University of Aberdeen/Wellcome Images LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS GENES

Genes

In an average meal,you eat around

150000km of DNA.

Iowa State University Oce of Biotechnology.

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080



Losing a gene can be agood thing. A mutated

caspase-12 gene hasbeen selected for duringhuman history; it maymake us less likely to

suff er from sepsis.

Xue et al. Am J Hum Genet 2006;78:659–70.Left: Viruses in the bloodstream.

Annie Cavanagh/Wellcome Images

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080



It would take 9.5years,non-stop, to read aloud

a person’s genome baseby base.

genomics.energy.govLeft: James Watson reading the human genomesequence. Wellcome Images

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


SEX & GENDER

In 2008, 51.9percent of girls and 41.2percent of

boys in the UK achievedtwo or more Alevels orequivalent.

Oce for National Statistics. LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

Se x & gender

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


SEX & GENDER

Of the 1.42millionoff enders that were

sentenced for criminaloff ences in Englandand Wales in 2006,80percent were male.

Oce for National Statistics.Left: Bill Berry Photography/iStockphoto LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


SEX & GENDER

Even allowing for sizediff erences, women

have disproportionatelysmaller feet than men.

Voracek et al. Percept Mot Skills 2007;104:1123–38.Left: Male and female feet. IWS/iStockphoto LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


SEX & GENDER

Girls born today areexpected to live

4.2years longer thanboys, although this gapis gradually narrowing.

Oce for National Statistics.Left: Vicky Leon/iStockphoto LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


SEX & GENDER

Research suggests thataspirin protects men

against heart attackbut not stroke, yet itprotects women againststroke but not heart

attack.

Berger et al. JAMA 2006;295:306–14.Left: Aspirin crystals.

Annie Cavanagh/Wellcome Images LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


SEX & GENDER

There were more thanthree times as many

suicides among males asamong females in theUK in 2009.

Oce for National Statistics.Left: Bo Hansen LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


SEX & GENDER

Women wake up fromanaesthesia nearly

twice as fast as men.

Tong et al. Anesthesiology 1999;90:1283–7.Left: Reflektastudios/iStockphoto LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


FOOD & DIET

A 20-year-old obeseman can expect to live

for 13 years less thanaverage.

Fontain et al. AMA 2003;289:187–93. LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

Food & d ie t

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


FOOD & DIET

The average spend perperson on eating out

was 26percent of theirtotal food spend in2005, compared to lessthan 10percent in 1955.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Aff airs. Left: Wellcome Images LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


FOOD & DIET

Fifteen minutes of moderate to vigorous

exercise per day cutsobesity risk by50percent.

Ness et al. Plos Med 2007;4:e97.Left: Olivier Blondeau/iStockphoto LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


FOOD & DIET

Grapefruit juice containscompounds that block

enzymes involved inmetabolising a range of drugs, so drug levels stayhigher for longer. Thesedrugs include calcium-

channel blockers used totreat high blood pressure.

Bailey et al. Lancet 1991;337(8736):268–9.Left: tedestudio/iStockphoto LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


FOOD & DIET

Eating soup makes youfeel full for longer than

eating solid food with aglass of water. Why?Water mixed with solids(e.g. soup) stays in the

stomach longer thanwater alone. BBC News online 2009 26 May.Left: travellinglight/iStockphoto LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


FOOD & DIET

Research has found thatpeople tend to associate

sweet and sour tastes withhigh-pitched sounds andumami (savoury) and bittertastes with low-pitchedones, and that people enjoy

food more when ‘matching’music is played during eating.

Crisinel, Spence. Atten Percept Psychophys2010;72(7):1994–2002. Left: Tijmen van Dobbenburgh LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

ll i i f h

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


FOOD & DIET

Jelly containing freshpineapple, papaya and kiwiwon’t set as the proteases inthem break down the proteingelatin in the jelly. Theproteases also digest someof the proteins in your mouth

and tongue when you eatthese fruits, causing tinglingand stinging.www.thenakedscientists.comLeft: Fran Gambín LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

R h h h

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


FOOD & DIET

Research has shown a strongrelationship between theweight of children and thebody mass of their biologicalparents but not between theweight of children and thebody mass of their adoptive

parents.

Stunkard et al. New Eng J Med 1986;312:193–8.Left: Rauluminate/iStockphoto LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

UK h h ld th

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


FOOD & DIET

UK households throwaway 8.3million tonnes

of food (£680perfamily) per year – thesame as one in threebags of shopping going

in the bin.

www.lovefoodhatewaste.comLeft: Steve Buchanan/Corbis LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

The 4 5 kg increase in weight

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


The 4.5kg increase in weightof the average Americanbetween 1990 and 2000caused aircraft to burn350million more gallons of fuel, at a cost of $275million,per year.

Dannenberg et al. Am J Prev Med 2004;27:264.Left: cylonka Bsg LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS FOOD & DIET

Wimbledon’s seats are

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS FOOD & DIET

Wimbledon’s seats are6cm wider than the

original 1922 models.

Times 2004 10 June.Left: Harry Fodor

World Health

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS FOOD & DIET

World HealthOrganization figures

suggest 25–70percentof European adults areoverweight (dependingon the country) and

5–30percent are obese.

World Health Organization.Left: Artwork showing the body contours of anoverweight man. Jürgen Ziewe/Wellcome Images

A man makes

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


THE BODY

A man makes1500sperm per

heartbeat.

Hurtley. Science 2010;328( 5974):15. LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

The bod y

In a recent study of

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS THE BODY

In a recent study of keyhole surgery,

surgeons who played amusical instrumentwere significantly fasterat suturing than those

who did not.

Boyd et al. JSLS 2008;12:292–4.Left: Tim van de Velde

Human eggs are made

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


THE BODY

Human eggs are madein the embryo, so the

egg cell that fused witha sperm to become youwas actually producedaround six months

before your mum wasborn.Gilbert. Developmental Biology.Left: Human egg with coronal cells.Yorgos Nikas/Wellcome Images LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

The tallest man in

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


THE BODY

The tallest man inhistory was 8’11”

(2.72 m). The currentworld’s shortest man is1’11.6” (59.9 cm).

Guinness World Records.Left: Wellcome Images LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

38 274 cosmetic

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


THE BODY

38 274 cosmeticprocedures were carried

out in the UK in 2010.90percent of thesewere on women.

British Association of Plastic Surgeons.Left: Wellcome Images LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

6’1”: The average adult

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


THE BODY

6 : e a e age adu tmale height in the

Netherlands, makingDutch men the world’stallest.

Cole. Econ Hum Biol 2003;1:161–8.Left: Making clogs. Jan Kranendonk/iStockphoto LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

14000:

d i ce

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


Pharmacopoeia/Cradle to the Grave exhibition at theBritish Museum. APPLIED SCIENCE

4The estimated number

of pills prescribed overan average lifetime.


Appl ied sc ience

It is estimated

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


PWC. Pharma 2020: The vision.Left: Matthew Herring/Wellcome Images APPLIED SCIENCE

that the global

healthcare marketplacewill be worth$1.3 trillion by 2020.


It is estimated that

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


York Health Economics Consortium and the School of Pharmacy (University of London). 2010. Evaluation of the Scale, Causes and Costs of Waste Medicines.Left: Worden Sports College/Wellcome Images APPLIED SCIENCE

around £300million per

year is wasted onprescription medicinesthat go unused inEngland.


Getting a diagnosis wrongb h f l i ’

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


Neal et al. Clin Med 2011;11(4):317–21.Left: Tim Ellis/Wellcome Images APPLIED SCIENCE

can be harmful to a patient’shealth. One study foundthat diagnostic error isresponsible for about 10 percent of adverse eventsoccurring in UK hospitals.


Radiology and pathology,hi h l i l

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


Berner, Graber. Am J Med 2008;121(5A):S2–23.Left: Wellcome Images APPLIED SCIENCE

which rely on visualinterpretation (e.g. of X-rays), have low diagnosticerror rates of about 2–5 percent. In the higher-stressenvironment of A&E, therate can reach 12 per cent.


In personalised medicine,therap is tailored to a

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


US Food and Drug Administration news release, 17 August 2011.Left: Skin cancer cell. Anne Weston/Wellcome Images APPLIED SCIENCE

therapy is tailored to apatient’s genetic make-up.One example is the drugvemurafenib, which blocksa protein that is mutated inover half of cases of melanoma.


Advances inh l h

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


Dietz et al. Science 2009;325:725–30.Left: Dividing fibroblast, DNA in red.Kate Whitley/Wellcome Images APPLIED SCIENCE

nanotechnology have

enabled the creation of miniature machine partsmade from DNA. Itmight be possible to use

these to fix faulty cells.


Scientists have usedcarbon nanotubes and

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


APPLIED SCIENCE

carbon nanotubes andenzymes to create an

antimicrobial coating thatcan kill MRSA within twohours of application. Thiscould be used to paint thewalls of hospitals andsterilise equipment.

Pangule et al. ACS Nano 2010;4:3993–4000.Left: MRSA. Annie Cavanagh/Wellcome Images LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

Scientists have created ananotechnology-based

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


nanotechnology-basedtherapy that can repair

brain damage and partiallyrestore the eyesight of blind animals within a fewweeks.

APPLIED SCIENCE Ellis-Behnke et al. PNAS 2006;103:5054–9.Left: Hamster. s-a-m/iStockphoto LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

Stem cell therapies arealready in use in the

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


APPLIED SCIENCE

already in use in the

form of bone marrowtransplants – the firstof which was performedin 1956.

www.biotechlearn.org.nzLeft: Bone marrow in a femur.Steven Fruitsmaak/Wikipedia LITTLE BOOK OF FAST FACTS

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


The Wellcome Trust is a charity registered in England and Wales,no. 210183. Its sole trustee is The Wellcome Trust Limited, acompany registered in England and Wales, no. 2711000 (whoseregistered oce is at 215 Euston Road, London NW1 2BE, UK).

PU-5144/20K/11-2011/AF

Big Picture is the Wellcome Trust’s educationalmagazine, created for post-16 students,teachers and anyone interested in learning moreabout biology and medicine. Browse the

magazines and our archive of online resources,including lesson ideas, videos, animations andmore at www.wellcome.ac.uk/bigpicture.

For a free subscription to the printed or PDF version

of Big Picture, or to order past issues, sign up atwww.wellcome.ac.uk/bigpicture/order.

The team

8/3/2019 Wt Dv 033080


Education editor: Stephanie Sinclair

Editor: Chrissie GilesAssistant editors: Kirsty Strawbridge, Tom FreemanWriters: Chrissie Giles, Emma James, Ian JonesGraphic designer: Anja FouadProject manager: Jennifer Trent StavesPublisher: Hugh Blackbourn

The Wellcome Trust’s vision is to achieve extraordinaryimprovements in human and animal health. We believethat this can only be realised if there is both a sustainablesupply of high-quality scientists and a wider population thatcan embrace, challenge and respond to the innovation and

development brought about by science and technology.

The future of science depends on the quality of scienceeducation today.

Documents

Wt Dv 033080