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Do you grow more ribs as you get older? Understanding age-related changes

According to a 2014 study on human fetal rib development, the vast majority of humans are born with 24 ribs, or 12 pairs. Therefore, the common belief that you grow more ribs as you get older is false, as the number of ribs is a fixed congenital trait. While the number of ribs does not increase with age, the shape and structural properties of the rib cage and its associated cartilage do undergo significant changes throughout a person's lifespan.