Recipe for a Human

What would we need to "make" a whole human being? All the ingredients of the human body are listed here – a recipe for a human! The trick is to structure the substances such that they all end up in the right places.

The human body contains large amounts of oxygen, hydrogen and carbon. Water consists of oxygen and hydrogen and makes up around 70 percent of the body. All organic molecules contain carbon.

Nitrogen, calcium and phosphorous help the body to build protein, bones and DNA.

Many elements that are only available in small quantities have a central role in the body and are necessary for survival. These include potassium, sulphur and magnesium.

97 % of the body is made of the following elements:

• Oxygen: 65 %. Included in all parts of the body.
• Carbon: 18 %. Included in all parts of the body.
• Hydrogen: 10 %. Included in all parts of the body.
• Nitrogen: 3 %. Included in protein and DNA.
• Phosphorus: 1.5 %. Included in DNA, skeleton and teeth.
• Calcium: 0.35 %. Included in skeleton, teeth and blood.