a riddle for my nerdy friends...

[zhenggy]

This was on my google homepage:

I am alive and growing and am used mainly for support;
but when I die I can be used in a variety of ways.
I am a protector of important parts,
much of me is never seen;
except when my owner is happy, angry or eating.

What am I?

Comments

[drhsu3]

bones. once i saw "support" that's what i thought. i should give my a&p kids this riddle...the only thing that would make it clearer to them is if you added hematopoesis and mineral storage into the riddle.

[drhsu3]

hey, i better not be the only one of your nerdy friends to respond to this.

[rantludicrously]

I think a couple of other things could have easily fit as well, though I won't put any down here to defend my point.

Pah, that was low on the nerdy scale, no worries ; )