Quote:
Originally Posted by Anthony G Williams  Everything is an adaptation: it isn't true that everything has a purpose, some features of life are just accidental hold-overs from earlier developments, such as the appendix and the male nipple. |
I have to totally disagree with
"just accidental hold-overs" held over by accident...This is where my small brain overloads...something just is not right about that statement made by "The New Scientist"
I have read how the appendix may have been used to house bacteria that may have helped in the digestion of rough plant matter, higher up in our evolutionary chain.
Many believe, in the future the appendix will disappear altogether.
But new evidence suggests it houses safe bacteria, when an illness causes diarrhoea.
Which was very common before proper sanitation. The appendix is lined with lymphoid cells, some consider these immune cells to be the guardian angels of the beneficial bacteria.
This proposal is based on a new understanding of how the immune system supports the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria.
The male nipple on the the other hand, is bestowed to us thanks to the fact we are all females for the first 6 weeks of life, before the male chromosome takes effect.
(it
seems to me there was/is a purpose)
Which makes me wonder.... did we evolve from females
Imagine if they ever proved that. (that would be shattering to the, "rib of Adam tale" as well as many male egos)