The axial skeleton includes the skull, ribs, and spine.
Most of our vital organs—such as the brain, spinal cord, heart, and lungs—are protected by bony armor. Each part of the body is shielded differently.
The skull is like a helmet around the brain. Vertebrae surround the spinal cord, like beads on a string. Think of the string as the spinal cord. The beads are the vertebrae. Ribs are like flexible bands that protect against impact, but they also expand and contract as you breathe.
