Where does this come from, and can I check it?

This tissue burns fat inside specialised mitochondria to release warmth. The figure is taken from NIDDK, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.

Is this really a human body fact?

Yes. It sits on the Human Body shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.

What else can I read about it?

The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.

Mondo Knows Facts

Brown fat generates heat without shivering

This tissue burns fat inside specialised mitochondria to release warmth Brown adipose tissue is packed with mitochondria that carry an uncoupling protein. Instead of making ATP, the protein lets protons leak back and release energy as heat. Babies have substantial brown fat around the neck and shoulders, and small deposits persist in many adults. It sits in Mondo's human body collection, one of 200 facts that each trace back to the reference below.

Where this comes from

NIDDK

Facts that can change over time are reviewed and updated. If something here looks wrong, Mondo would rather know than be confidently incorrect.

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Science trivia

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The brain consumes twenty percent of the body energyDespite comprising two percent of body weight the brain uses massive metabolic fuel The liver performs over five hundred essential body functionsFiltering blood detoxifying chemicals and synthesising vital proteins The thyroid gland regulates overall cellular metabolism rateButterfly-shaped neck gland secretes thyroxine to control energy usage Core body temperature drops naturally during night sleepThermoregulatory cooling lowers metabolic rate to conserve resting energy The liver turns nitrogen waste into ureaA five step cycle in liver cells packages ammonia into a safer molecule for excretion Sweat cools the body only as it evaporatesEach gram of water that turns to vapour carries away a large amount of heat

Tags: brown-fat, heat, metabolism

Brown fat generates heat without shivering: the short answers

Where does this come from, and can I check it?: This tissue burns fat inside specialised mitochondria to release warmth. The figure is taken from NIDDK, which is linked in full on this page. Every fact on Mondo Knows names its source rather than repeating an unsourced claim.
Is this really a human body fact?: Yes. It sits on the Human Body shelf, one of 2,600 sourced facts grouped into space, animals, the human body, history, science and more. Category pages collect every fact in the same field.
What else can I read about it?: The links under the fact point to a quiz, game, puzzle or calculator on the same subject, and the shelf below shows related facts. The wording here is original, and quoted phrases are marked as quotations.