Outdated body parts

The bodies of modern humans have some parts that don’t appear to have a purpose—but may have had one a long time ago. For example, humans still have a coccyx (tailbone). It’s left over from when our ape ancestors had tails, which they lost about 25 million years ago. Although the coccyx helps us sit upright today, it isn’t technically necessary for our survival. Another body part without a clear function is the appendix, which is attached to the large intestine in the digestive system. It is thought to have helped our plant-eating ancestors digest their food. People don’t need them now—in fact, if the appendix gets infected (a condition known as appendicitis), doctors often surgically remove it.…

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The Week Junior US (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 238

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