7 Almost Useless Organs and Body Parts

Despite many people holding the notion that humankind has reach its physical apex there are still a number of nearly useless organs and useless body parts left over from our slow evolution to our modern form. While some sight this as proof that the theory of evolution is, in fact, correct; one has to wonder just why we still have many of these superfluous body parts and organs. If you're wondering just what parts of your physiology you can do without, here is a list of seven almost totally useless body parts and organs.

The Appendix

The appendix is an almost useless organ that many people have taken out by the time they reach adulthood. Its function is fairly redundant, being used to filter toxins and impurities out of our bodies. While it may seem important, what makes the appendix a useless organ is that the liver and kidneys perform that function. Not only that, but they perform the function of filtering out toxins much more efficiently than the appendix. Given also the appendix habit of becoming infected and potentially rupturing, it is almost totally useless.

Another useless body part is the tonsils. The tonsils rest in the back of the throat and are known to become inflamed and need to be removed quite often. Most of the population ends up having their tonsils removed. Afterwards, there is almost no difference in the body's function except that you no longer can come down with a case of tonsillitis, although that seems like an improvement.

Wisdom Teeth

Evolution, in its infinite wisdom has, for some reason chosen to give us four extra teeth that most mouths don't even have room for. The fact that most people end up having to have these teeth removed lends validity to the idea that they are a useless body part.

Male Nipples

Forming well before testosterone causes gender assignment in a fetus, male nipples are a completely useless body part that serve no real function. While females mammary glands produce milk with which to nurse a baby, male nipples do nothing other than puzzle evolutionary scientists who wonder why they're still even there.

Erector Pili

When humans were still covered in thick hair, they, like other animals, has a defense mechanism that allowed them to puff up their fur when confronted by a predator to look for intimidating. Though humans no longer have fur, or any use for this function, the effect of the erector pili can still be seen has what we can goose bumps, making them a totally useless body part.

Body Hair

Body hair, retained by evolution from when humans were a hunter gatherer society and needed all the protection against the elements possible serves no function today other than accentuating male models in cologne advertisements. A totally useless body part, body hair can be troublesome and most people elect to remove certain portions of it.

Extrinsic Ear Muscles

Used in prehistoric times as a way to allow early humans to move their ear independent of their heads, extrinsic ear muscles is another useless body part that modern man doesn't need. They have disappeared for the most part but still remain in a small percentage of the population, which is why some people can wiggle their ears and others cannot.