By now, you’ve probably thought that all the organs in the human body are useful and have a function. The liver and kidneys are responsible for detoxification, the lungs are responsible for breathing, the heart is essential for pumping blood, and the stomach is responsible for digesting and processing food. That’s true.
But what if we told you that certain parts of the human body are no longer useful? Yes, you read that right. One could argue that those organs must be there for a reason. Yes, some of those organs used to serve a purpose, but not anymore.
“Not now?”
What do we mean by this? We are pointing to the evolution of humanity. Some of these organs are there because they were essential for survival centuries ago. But not now.
Sounds interesting, right? Well, we will tell you more about these useless organs in this blog post.
Male nipples
Male nipples had to be there.
Not in men, but on the list on this blog. They are practically useless, as men cannot breastfeed babies. So what purpose do they serve?
This is because nipples are one of the first structures to develop in an embryo, and they form before the embryo differentiates into either male or female. Around the seventh week of pregnancy, the embryo begins to develop sexual characteristics, but by that time, the nipples and some other basic structures are already in place.
If the embryo has one Y chromosome, it develops male characteristics, and if it has two X chromosomes, it develops female characteristics. However, since nipples form before this differentiation occurs, all humans, regardless of sex, end up having nipples.
Therefore, all humans have nipples, even males. Male nipples may not be capable of producing lactation, but they still respond to sexual stimulation.
Appendix
You’ve probably heard of several cases where a person’s appendix burst and caused unbearable pain. In these cases, the appendix is removed precisely because humans can do without it. According to research, the appendix does not serve any essential function, but more recent studies claim that it may harbor beneficial bacteria. More research is needed to substantiate these claims.
Although this is not the case today, the appendix served an important function several million years ago. According to Charles Darwin, it helped humans digest plants. Since our diet has also changed over the centuries, the appendix is practically useless.
Wisdom teeth
We’ve all heard of wisdom teeth, probably when someone first gets them. They may help you chew food, but you can live perfectly well without them. Most people have wisdom teeth that develop late, affecting the other teeth. You’ve probably noticed that they overlap other teeth. It’s worth noting that there’s actually no room for them and you used to live perfectly well without them. Therefore, they can be a useless part of the body.
It might have been useful when humans had larger jaws. They have now become smaller over time, given the lifestyle and eating habits of humans.
Coccyx
What if we told you that humans have a tail? You can’t see it, but it’s there. We’re talking about the coccyx. It’s located at the end of the vertebra. It’s the remnant of our ancestral tail. Yes, our ancient animal ancestors had tails, which disappeared as mammals evolved and apes split off from monkeys. This happened about 20 million years ago.
According to experts, the coccyx forms during early development in the womb as a remnant of what’s called the “caudal eminence,” a small tail-like structure that appears between the fourth and eighth week of gestation. While this tail-like structure typically recedes and disappears as the embryo develops, the coccyx remains as a skeletal remnant. The coccyx is actually made up of four small vertebrae, called coccygeal vertebrae. In some people, these vertebrae can fuse together as they age, forming a single, more solid bone. This fusion process can vary, and in some people, the vertebrae remain separate throughout their lives.
The outer ear
Have you ever watched deer, cats, and other animals turn their ears in response to sounds? However, for humans, the outer ear, also known as the auricle, is mostly a residual structure with little biological function other than holding up our glasses.
Final thoughts
Even though these vestigial body parts may no longer appear to function today, they were an important part of our evolutionary journey. They offer insight into the lives of our distant ancestors and reveal how our bodies have adapted and changed over millions of years.
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