Considering individual factors, a typical 70kg adult body comprises approximately 46kg (101 pounds) of oxygen, 13kg (27 pounds) of carbon, 7kg (15 pounds) of hydrogen, 2kg (4 pounds) of nitrogen, 2 pounds of calcium, and 2L of sulfur, along with magnesium and various trace elements.
In his book Body: A Guide for Residents, author Bill Bryson estimates that the total cost of these raw materials is over £116,000 ($150,000), based on the most expensive and chemically pure forms of each element.
If you’re inclined to refine elements for yourself, your costs will be lower.
For instance, using 52 liters (11 gallons) of water provides both oxygen and plenty of hydrogen, essentially at no cost. A simple setup for electrolysis can help you separate these gases easily.
Similarly, high-quality charcoal (about 70% carbon) can be purchased for around £56 ($75), and by adding 10kg (22 pounds) of ammonium sulfate fertilizer, priced at £23 ($31), you can produce nitrogen and sulfur. This brings you quite close to what you need.
Other elements are present in very small quantities, so adding another £10-15 ($13-20) will adjust your revised estimate to less than £100, or under $133.
Of course, humans aren’t merely composed of elements; they consist of complex organic molecules such as proteins and carbohydrates. The cost of creating these from raw elements would be minimal compared to the basic materials themselves.
If the process seems daunting, a simpler alternative is to buy an entire pig (approximately £200 or $267 at auction) and grind it down into a usable chemical building block mixture.
From a molecular standpoint, the composition of pigs and humans is quite similar.
Alternatively, you can begin with pure energy. Since matter and energy are interchangeable, theoretically, an atom can be created from pure energy using a particle accelerator like the Large Hadron Collider.
However, to achieve a mass of 70kg (154 pounds), you would need about 10^17 joules of energy, equivalent to 1.75 trillion kilowatt-hours. This amount is roughly 70 times the total electricity consumed worldwide in a year.
This article answers the question posed by Phoebe Gray of Southampton: “What is the average human body?”
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