Why is it called the funny bone?
The Nerve's Zing
Why is it called the funny bone?
You bump your elbow on a table corner and — ZAP! A weird tingly shock shoots down your arm. Everyone calls it your "funny bone," but here's the thing: it's not a bone at all, and it doesn't feel very funny.
What you're actually hitting is a nerve — a long wire of living tissue that carries messages between your brain and your hand. This one's called the ulnar nerve, and it runs all the way down the inside of your arm to your pinky and ring finger.
