The External Ear
Have you ever seen a dog or cat’s ears move when they notice an intriguing sound? For many of our mammalian cousins, the external ear acts like a satellite dish, intensifying the sound waves reaching the external auditory canal, middle ear, and inner ear.
But for us humans, it’s rudimentary, serving little to no biological function other than to be the place where we rest our glasses.
Of course, if you’re one of the fortunate few who can wiggle their ears, they function as a fabulous party trick! About 10% of us also have “Darwin’s tubercle,” a thickening area where the middle and upper thirds of the outer ear meet, another vestigial organ.
To learn more about vestigial organs, we found an interesting book on Amazon: Vestigial Organs Are Fully Functional: A History and Evaluation of the Vestigial Organ Origins Concept
We hope you found this article on body parts humans don’t actually need interesting. Be sure to let us know in the comments if there are any other scientific facts you’d like to read about.
In the meantime, Science In The World has many more fantastic posts we think you’d like. For instance, check out: 5 Chilling Things Artificial Intelligence Can Do to Us
27 Responses
Interesting, , specially, vomeronasal and armpit hair indeed.
Thank you for all explanations!!
I am a retired Holistic Physician who specialized in Traditional Chinese Medicine. The appendix is not expendable, as one of it’s known functions is to lubricate the ileocecal valve. God didn’t put anything in or on our bodies without it having a purpose. The fact that we have not been bright enough to discover all of them does not mean they are disposable. It just means we have not yet found their purpose.
And we are just waiting for that intelligent person to be born to tell us. Also, the appendix retains the proper gut flora to repopulate as it may be needed—evidence of a forward-thinking designer.
God didn’t put anything in our bodies at all.
Thank you! Couldn’t have said it any better
God would not have given us parts that are not needed. Yes due to our lack of caring for our bodies is why some of these parts were taken out.
Darwin is crazy thinking a tailbone proves evolution.
God created me but due to Adam and Eve sinning is why these have happened.
I will be perfect again when God takes Satan out. Which will be soon.
Tell’em again Rita,…they didn’t hear you my friend!!!
God didn’t give us any parts.
Very interesting information that I will bring to the senior citizens today!
The Most High and/or Creator created us humans and every body part created and placed in us humans is for a REASON and used for a REASON. Personally, this article is insane. You doctors and scientists and the whole American medical field are insane and diabolical.
Interesting…
Our bodies have 7 octillion atoms
37 trillion cells
DNA code is 3 1/2 billion letters long
….and you believe in evolution not intelligent design???
I agree. Maybe the way we see it is not understanding “both” can be true, in a sense. Evolution happens because God created it .
Thank you for putting this all on the same page, instead of expecting clicks for each paragraph.
God create evolution.
Evolutionary speaking, How about a kidney, a lung, one nostril, the little fingers (no more pinky wave) even one ear, how about all hair, 1 testicle, one mammary breast, not sure about needing all 10 toes.
I still have 3 wisdom teeth, both tonsils, but did have my appendix removed at 10 years old (now 70 years).
I 100% agree with Dr. Bonnie. God creates everything for a reason. Your not smart enough to know all of his purposes.
And how do u know god exists…sound as created by man to help us to die and have some place to go.and a monotheistic god’s existence only came into being late in human existence.4000 plus years agofrom Judaism.and who then created god,,,would u believe most of the beliefs of people from that long ago ,,,and limited knowledge
You say “god’s existence only came into being late in human existence” which shows you are confusing knowledge with reality. Since God always existed he couldn’t come into it. It’s not logical for creation to precede the creator. I know that God exists because I’m alive due to the soul God gave me which no other human can claim they are capable of doing.
What about your adenoids?????????????
Very interesting. Thanks
thank you for the info. Even though these seven organs don’t seem to have much use. I think we should still them where they are. have you ever heard of this saying, if it is not broken, don’t fix it.well,i am a believer in this saying. we are beautiful and wonderfully made by God.
Amazing how many people believe in a God.
I guess I am one of those “lucky” individuals but as I aged, after having a minimum amount of armpit hair to begin with through my teenage years, I progressed to having no armpit hair. I also have relatively no hair on my legs or on my big toes. It has really been very nice to not have to shave these aforementioned areas. However, I was fortunate enough to have a very thick head of hair.
This is an enlightening scientific article for me and hopefully to others who read it. I consider it as a lesson on HUMAN EVOLUTION, because these organs were of significant importance to the existence of humans. A good example of these is how our arms evolved from the front legs during the age when the theory of human evolution was from Apes / Gorillas. It is interesting that both the Tonsil and the Appendix served as organs in our digestive system with vital importance. I am a student of science with particular interest in Human Anatomy, however, I ended up in Engineering because of interest mechanical and human interaction for better living. I am still reading more on scientific / medical evolution which confirms the similarity of deteriorations between mechanical devices and human body / “AGING”. I believe that most of the ailment being treated with medications are due to deterioration rather than disease, if only the PHARMACITICAL & MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS will realize this fact and provide treatments to supplement the imbalances in the body organs parts functions as we age. Thanks for the opportunity to contribute my opinion. Above all, I believe that everything that God created is GOOD & PERFECT with a purpose that we may not or ever understand. As a Christian or a Believer, the book of Genesis fully informs us that when God looked at each of His Creations, His comment is “IT IS GOOD”.
I am one of the 10% of people who can wiggle their ears. I realized I could in elementary school 🏫. I saw another student do it and I found out I could also.
That was 70 yrs. ago and I remember it like it was yesterday.
🤔
My cousin had to have his appendix removed this what got him listed into the Guinness Book of world records as having the world’s longest appendix. I cant remember the exact length but it was over twenty foot. He lived quite well without it.——- I, Grampa