The animals' heart, great and small
The fairy fly, a tiny insect as thin as a sheet of paper, holds the title for having the smallest heart in the world. To observe its heart, a microscope is required despite its minuscule size. Contrary to its name, the fairy fly is actually a wasp. Moving on to a larger yet equally remarkable heart in the Animal Kingdom, the zebra fish possesses a fascinating ability. With hearts measuring only about 0.4 inches in diameter, zebra fish have the power to regenerate their hearts if they become damaged or encounter any issues. While human hearts continuously strive to replace cells and repair heart tissue, they pale in comparison to the regenerative capabilities of zebra fish hearts. Now, let's shift our focus to cockroaches. Human hearts consist of four chambers, each with its own designated function. Without all four chambers working properly, the heart cannot function effectively. On the other hand, a cockroach's heart boasts an astonishing 12 to 13 chambers, arranged in a row along the length of its body, measuring approximately 1.5 inches. These chambers operate independently, powered by different muscles. Consequently, if any of these chambers are affected, the cockroach may not even notice, as it can often survive without all of its heart chambers functioning optimally. In contrast, a hummingbird's heart can beat up to 1200 times per minute. While a human athlete's heart may reach a maximum speed of 220 beats per minute, the hummingbird's heart, despite being one of the smallest in the world, is relatively large compared to its overall body size, accounting for approximately 2.5% of its total body weight. Interestingly, the blue-throated hummingbird's wings flap up to 15 times per second, a movement too rapid for the human eye to perceive. This impressive speed is supported by an even faster heart rate, with the hummingbird's heart beating up to 21 times per second.