Thick-Headed Females and Thin-Skulled Males

January 23, 2008

Women's skulls are thicker than men's, but they both shrink slowly after we reach adulthood. That's what Tianjin University of Science and Technology researchers concluded after analyzing head scans of 3,000 patients at Tianjin Forth Central Hospital.

The difference is actually pretty substantial. Based on the study, most men's skulls are around 6.5 millimeters thick. Most women's skulls are 7.1 millimeters thick. This is rather odd, considering that the measured head width and front to back skull measurements were higher for men than for women. In other words, men have bigger, yet less sturdy, heads.

Already scientists and medical experts are wondering how the difference affects head injuries.

This may explain why I always grip the seat when watching football games. It goes back to the days when I played in a high school marching band and spent most of the time watching injured players being carted off the field. I certainly hope

is all geared up protecting that nice head of his come Super Bowl Sunday.

And maybe the findings explain this too?