Mary Allen
The skull is the large bone in the head of vertebrates. Man is one of these animals. For experts, it’s not a single bone: a skull is made up of 22 to 30 individual parts, depending on how you count. They have grown together, but you can clearly see the seams.
A single bone in the skull is movable, the lower jaw. The most important job of the skull is to protect the brain from injury. The brain also needs a shell because it is very soft and is a particularly important organ that cannot be lived without.
Although the skulls of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians are different, they are quite similar. Among mammals, there is a special feature in humans: the spine does not start at the back of the skull but at the bottom. That’s why the hole for the thick nerve cord is not at the back, but at the bottom. This allows man to walk upright.
Although the bones in the face of a baby are properly fused together, they are still very flexible at the back of the head. The skull even has a really big hole at the top of the head, which is only covered by skin. It’s called a “fontanelle”. You can see it well and feel it carefully. But you must never press on it, otherwise, you press directly on the brain. At birth, these parts of the skull are compressed, making the head a little smaller and making birth easier. So this is a completely natural process.
However, nothing unpleasant should happen to the skull later, because the brain will also be injured very quickly. This can have dire consequences. That’s why you should always wear a helmet for protection when you’re cycling or doing certain sports, such as kick boarding or rollerblades.