We have a number of body parts that are, well, useless. Here are some facts about the body parts we don’t actually need.
- Coccyx: This collection of fused vertebrae have no purpose these days, although scientists believe it’s what’s left of the mammal tail humans used to have. It may be useless, but when you break your coccyx, it’s still painful.
- Pinkie toe: There is speculation that since we no longer have to run for our dinner, and we wear sneakers, the pinkie toe’s evolutionary purpose is disappearing — and maybe the pinkie itself will go the way of the dodo.
- Wisdom teeth: This third set of molars is largely useless, doing little beyond crowding the mouth and sometimes causing pain.
- Vomeronasal organ: There are tiny (and useless) chemoreceptors lining the inside of the nose.
- Most body hair: While facial hair serves some purposes, the hair found on the rest of body is practically useless and can be removed with few ill effects.
- Female vas deferens: A cluster of dead end tubules near the ovaries are the remains of what could have turned into sperm ducts.
- Male Uterus: Yeah, men have one too — sort of. The remains of this undeveloped female reproductive organ hangs on one side of the male prostate gland
- Appendix: Yep, your appendix is basically useless. While it does produce some white blood cells, most people are fine with an appendectomy.
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