naure.com
Human BodySurprise 4/5Difficulty 3/5Reviewed on September 15, 2026

The smallest bone in the human body is the stapes, located in the middle ear.

Why it is true

At only two to three millimeters long, the stapes is crucial for hearing as it transmits sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear, being incredibly small yet essential.

Source: Anatomy Journal

Would you rather be asked first?

This is the reading side of the site, so the answer is in the sentence above — that is the whole point of it. Test yourself works the other way round: the question comes on its own, and the fact and the explanation only appear once you have answered.

Test yourself →10-question challenge

Related facts

More in Human Body

See all →