Bone Cross-Section: Healthy and Low Density

Two magnified slices of bone side by side: healthy bone, and bone that has lost density through osteoporosis or a long stay in space without enough exercise. The bigger, more numerous pores of the weaker bone are easy to see and feel.

Designed for a FIRST LEGO League "Into Orbit" project, it fits lessons on the skeleton, healthy living, and what weightlessness does to astronauts' bodies.

Design by ShyavanS on Printables, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0. The files and photos are the designer's, unchanged.

1. Print both pieces in the same colour so only the structure differs.
2. Students compare them by look, touch and weight, and describe the difference.
3. Discuss why bones need load (exercise, gravity) to stay strong, and what astronauts do about it.