Featured Image Credit: PIXOLOGICSTUDIO / Getty
Organs are something that most people presume you simply can't live without, but you might be surprised to discover quite how many can be discarded without too much of a detriment to your body and health overall.
Most scientists and medical experts agree that there are 78 different organs throughout the body that are subsequently split into 11 overarching systems, and each one fulfils a vital role that keeps your body running as expected.
Some are more important than others, as expected, with organs like the heart or brain serving as the primary driving force behind our existence, yet there are still a surprising number that are technically not essential if you simply want the body to survive.
Testing this on a single individual with purpose is obviously not going to happen, yet simulations shared online have hypothesized quite how many organs you'd be able to remove from one single body while having the person still continue on as if nothing had happened.
Advert
Shared by YouTube channel Kurzgesagt, who creates short yet informative videos on topics involving science and health, the simulation reveals which organs could be first to go — even if they do still carry out important tasks.
First on the list is your appendix, which is something that is commonly removed anyway if you happen to fall victim to appendicitis. The tiny tail-like organ helps your body fight any bad bacteria that enters your gut, yet this can technically be removed without too much of an impact, at least in the short term.
Your gall bladder can also be chucked, as the liver can fulfil the same bile-producing function. The same is true for getting rid of the spleen, which filters blood and aids your immune system.
In isolation you could technically remove around 70 per cent of your liver and retain 'normal' function, but with how much we're already relying on the primary organ in this scenario, it's probably not a good idea.
Removing one of your two kidneys is surprisingly viable in this situation, as it's something that lots of people do to support kidney transfers, seeing no impact to their lives and long-term health as a result.
In terms of what you simply can't get rid of, however, it's the usual suspects, as binning off your heart, lungs, brain, or stomach would prove devastating for your body and give you little time left to live.
In the cases of things like lungs and hearts, there have been developments made in artificial replacements — with a titanium heart made for those waiting for a transplant and artificial lungs providing a reprieve in emergencies.
These are unfortunately short-term solutions though and cannot fulfil the same function over a longer period of time, showing quite how vital the actual organs are to your body.
