Have you ever heard that a person is the product of their environment? In many ways, it’s true. Often, this means that people are influenced by the people and cultures they live in. But it also has a more literal meaning. Humans are influenced by their habitat—planet Earth!
If you think about it, the human body is a lot like planet Earth. What do they have in common? We can think of one major similarity. Here’s a hint—it can exist as a solid, liquid, or gas. That’s right! Both the human body and the planet Earth are largely made up of water.
On Earth, this is pretty obvious. From space, you can tell that about 71 percent of the planet is water. Many don’t realize, though, that water also makes up about 60 percent of the human body. That’s why it’s so important to drink enough water each day! It helps keep your body healthy.
The similarities don’t stop there, though. Have you learned about veins and arteries in school? These blood vessels work as part of the circulatory system. They move blood throughout your body to help keep you alive. Similarly, rivers and streams serve to carry water throughout the planet, playing a role in sustaining life on Earth.
In fact, both the human body and the planet Earth have several connected systems that support life. The respiratory, digestive, reproductive, musculoskeletal, nervous, and immune systems all play important roles in human life. The planet’s stability relies on the balance of its air, water, land, and life systems.
There’s one big similarity between the human body and planet Earth that we haven’t mentioned yet: They’re both diverse ecosystems. Earth is home to at least 8.7 million species. On a smaller scale, the human body hosts about 10,000 species.
Yes, you read that right. 10,000 different forms of life may be living in your body right now. In fact, experts say that about 90 percent of the cells in the body are not human. Instead, they belong to other organisms.
It’s no coincidence that humans are made from the elements most common on planet Earth. After all, we’re a product of our environment! If you spend some time thinking about it, I bet you can come up with even more similarities! What else can you tell? Let us know in the comments !!
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