Biblically speaking, it is said that a woman was created out of a man's rib. This is the origin of the false belief that women have more ribs then men. But in reality, each person (both man and woman) has a total of 24 ribs. The ribs serve as a protection to your heart, lungs, kidneys, and other internal organs. The protective cage-like formation of human ribs plays a vital role in the human skeleton. However, on some animals, it acts as a protection and support for their whole body. Each rib is connected to the spinal bone at your back. The first 14 ribs (first 7 sets) are called "true ribs". These ribs are directly attached to the sternum or breastbone by way of costal cartilage. The first pair of the true ribs is the shortest among all the ribs. This rib is hard to locate. It is shaped like a letter "C" and connected just below your neck. The remaining 6 pairs of the true ribs have a more usual appearance. The next 5 sets of the human ribs are known to be ...