Q: How many bones are in the human body?
A: Adults typically have 206 bones. At the time of birth, babies start with about 270 bones that gradually fuse (for example, skull bones and the hip/pelvis) as they grow. The skeleton provides support, protection (skull protects the brain; rib cage protects the heart and lungs), movement ( with the help of muscles and joints), mineral storage (calcium and phosphorus), and blood cell production in the bone marrow. Bones remodel continuously—old bone is broken down by osteoclasts and rebuilt by osteoblasts—to stay strong and adapt to stress.