The human body is a wondrous structure and learning how it works is a constant source of amazement to the inquisitive mind. Not only does knowledge of the body and how it functions equip us with a wealth of “fun facts” with which to impress others, it is perhaps the best way to understand how our life choices affect our own physical well-being, helping us to make sense of who we are and what happens within us when things go wrong. Broadly-speaking, most structures in our body have a known purpose and exist to allow us to function to our maximum potential. There are organs without which we simply cannot live. Life is impossible, for instance, without the brain as a control center to regulate the way our bodies work or without a beating heart to pump blood and oxygen around the body. Modern medicine (surgery in particular) has made it possible to replace or remove some of what traditionally was considered essential to life. It is now possible to live without a lung or kidney or spleen or part of a liver. A dialysis machine can clean our blood in a similar manner to the kidneys. Our hearts can continue beating with pacemakers, or even with a completely new heart from an organ donor. We can replace limbs with prosthetics. In theory, today it is possible to live without arms, legs, eyes, ears, nose, breasts and many of our internal organs, and have a rich life. Still, a wholesome body allows us to experience and interact with the world around us in many different ways that enhance each other and add layers of detail that we may only properly notice when things go wrong. Anatomy is the study of the structure of the body (and its component parts), through which we can learn about the functioning of our body and develop a new appreciation for its complexities.