Differences between Female and Male Skeleton

Mass
In general, male skeletons are larger and heavier than female skeletons. Most
experts, however, would say that skeletal mass alone would not be a very accurate
basis for determining whether a particular skeleton is male or female. There are, after
all, tall women and short men. To make the comparison more meaningful,
differentiations of size and weight should be made within the context of racial groups,
e.g. Caucasoid male skeleton versus Caucasoid female skeleton.
Limbs
Another general difference between male and female skeletons can be observed
in the limbs. The humerus, ulna and radius, which are the major bones that comprise
most of the arm, are thicker and longer in men. The phalanges--the bones that comprise
the fingers--are also bigger, which is why most men have bigger hands than women.
The same goes for the lower limbs, which are supported by the femur, tibla and fibula
bones--all typically longer in men.
Skull
Male and female skulls also show significant differences in structure. The small
bulge at the back of the head known as the external occipital protuberance is usually
more pronounced in men. The male jawbone or mandible is typically angular and
square-shaped at the chin area, while the female jawbone tends to be more rounded
and pointed. The brow ridges of men are often more prominent than those of women.
These distinctions in cranial and facial features underlie the basic difference between
men's and women's faces.
Pelvis
The major difference between female and male skeletons is in the pelvis, which
is due to another major difference between men and women--childbirth. The female
pelvis is smaller, shallower and wider, and the cavity is more circular in shape. The
coccyx or tailbone, which is the last bone of the spinal column, is more movable in
female skeletons. The sacrum, which is a triangle-shaped bone also at the end of the
spine and connected to the pelvis, is wider and flatter in females. All these distinctions
contribute to the process of childbirth, particularly allowing for the head and shoulders of
the child to pass through the cavity.
Bone Development
The differences in male and female skeletons are due in part to the hormones
that affect bone development. Testosterone is the primary influence that shapes men's
bones, while estrogen has a greater effect on women's bone development. From

infancy, both men and women have relatively malleable bone cartilage, called
epiphyseal plates, that grow and become firm and solid when they reach a certain age.
The high levels of estrogen that happen during female puberty cause an earlier closure
of these particular cartilages. At around the age of 18, women's bones are already set,
while male bone development ends at around age 21, allowing men more time to gain
bone mass.

TRIVIAS ABOUT BONES

More than half of the bones in the human body are in the hands and feet.
The smallest bone in the human body is the stirrup bone inside the ear. It
is smaller than a grain of rice.
The thigh bone, or femur is the strongest, heaviest, and longest bone in
the human body.
Humans and giraffes have the same number of bones in their necks.
Every minute, the bone marrow in your body produces about one hundred
million red blood cells.
If one of your ribs needs to be removed, it can regenerate itself withinthree
months.