Body & HealthFact

You are roughly half bacteria.

A 2016 estimate counts around 38 trillion bacteria in your body versus about 30 trillion of your own cells, a ratio of roughly 1:1. The old claim of 10:1 was inflated. Most of the bacteria live in the large intestine and together weigh only about 200 grams, because they are far smaller than your cells.

Useful: After a bowel movement the ratio can briefly tip in favour of your own cells.

Source: doi.org

BakterienVerdauung

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Question on this card

Roughly how many bacteria do you carry compared with your own cells?

Ten times as many
About the same number
One tenth
One hundredth

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Correct: About the same number

Around 38 trillion bacteria versus about 30 trillion human cells.

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