Ten Strange Things Evolution Left On Our Body

It is amazing how evolution has given the human body some odd parting gifts. The human body has been a work in progress for about the last six million years, so it’s understandable if over that time we have outgrown some of our components.

Did you know that your appendix used to help digest plants. Since our diet isn’t that plant-heavy anymore, it only causes problems like appendicitis. Given, the early humans moved their ears for peripheral hearing, some of us can still wiggle our ears just for fun.

It is curious that one bit of the corner of your eye was once bigger and served to protect and moisturize the eyeball. Now, this same feature only keeps dirt out off your eyes.

It doesn’t come as a surprise that our ancestors had an extra muscle to help them hang from trees. Touch your pinky to your thumb and if you don’t see it, you are among the 10% of humans who lost it.

Even our ancestors never made use of male nipples. They most likely form in the embryonic stage when we are essentially sexless.

Knowing that your tiny tailbone is a relic of the mammalian tail is somewhat astonishing. Humans are believed to have lost their tails when they started walking upright.

Our ancestors needed strong molars to chew through raw meat. When we learned to cook, our jaws shrunk and left no room for what we call wisdom teeth.

Body hair kept our ancestors from freezing. Now, we no longer need body hair to do all of our temperature regulation. Also, goosebumps fluffed up our hair to keep us warm. Now that we wear sweaters and coats, there’s no need for goosebumps anymore.

The human brain has been getting smaller in size over time. We are not getting dumber, our brain just works faster while taking up less space.

How many of these facts did you already know?