Most people are clueless when it comes to basic biology – with more than half unable pinpoint the correct location of their heart, it has emerged.

A study of 2000 people in the UK found we aren't too sharp when it comes to knowing how much blood we have, how many teeth are in our mouths or what roles our vital organs perform.

Many were unable to say what our correct body temperature should be, while nearly 10 in ten were unsure of the number of kidneys we have.

Additionally the study found six in 10 people couldn’t even name their own blood type.

The research was commissioned by the Museum of London to mark the launch of their October exhibition, Doctors, Dissection and Resurrection Men.

"It seems we have a depressing lack of anatomical awareness.," Jelena Bekvalac, Curator of Human Osteology at the Museum of London said.

"Perhaps we have a tendency to rely on medical authorities to do all they can for us without really understanding the way that we work.

"We are reassured by expertise and don't take the time to understand the basics of how our own bodies function or are structured.

The study found just half of those polled could correctly identify the heart's location in the left-centre of the chest, while three quarters were stumped when it came to guessing how many bones are in the adult human body (there are 206).

Nearly half were unsure as to how many teeth we have (32) while four in 10 haven't a clue where their kidney is located.

A third of people could correctly state that the average adult has between five and six litres of blood, while nearly a fifth thinking that a "visor" was a type of tooth.

Three quarters of the study didn't know that the liver is our biggest internal organ, with four in 10 thinking a single lung was of greater size.

Nearly half the study couldn't get anywhere near to guessing the healthy temperature of the human body (37 degrees Celsius).