| Five Body Parts Humans No Longer Need |
| Vestigial organs are parts of the body that once had a function but are now more-or-less useless. The most famous example may be the appendix, though it is now an open question whether the appendix is really vestigial. Here are five organs and functions most likely to be truly vestigial: Vomeronasal Organ Rodents and other mammals detect pheromones with a specialized sensory system called the vomeronasal organ (VNO). It consists of a pair of structures that nestle in the nasal lining or the roof of the mouth. Most adult humans have something resembling a VNO in their nose, but there are no nerve fibers connecting it to the brain. Humans probably detect pheromones with their main olfactory system instead. Goose Bumps Goose bumps aren't a body part, but the reflex is widely considered to be vestigial in humans. They occur when tiny muscle at the base of a hair follicle contracts, pulling the hair upright. For creatures with feathers, fur or spines, this creates a layer of insulating warm air in a cold snap. But human hair is incapable of this functions. Darwin's Point Around the sixth week of gestation, six swellings of tissue called the hillocks of Hiss arise around the area that will form the ear canal. Darwin's point is a minor malformation of the junction of the fourth and fifth hillocks of Hiss. It is found in a substantial minority of people in the form of a bump on the rim of the outer ear. It is thought to be the vestige of a joint that used to allow the top part of the ear to swivel or flop down over the opening to the ear. Tail Bone The human coccyx is a vestige of the mammalian tail which has taken on a modified function as an anchor point for the muscles that hold the anus in place. There are, however, more than 100 medical reports of babies born with tails, which occurs if the signal that normally stops the process of vertebrate elongation during embryonic development fails to activate on time. Wisdom Teeth Most primates have wisdom teeth (the third molars), but a few species have none. It is likely that when the body size of mammals reduces rapidly, their jaws become too small to house all their teeth, and overcrowding eventually results in selection for fewer or smaller teeth. As many as 35 percent of people have no wisdom teeth at all, suggesting that we may be on an evolutionary trajectory to losing them altogether. Sources: |
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Five Body Parts Humans No Longer Need [Health]
Man critically hurt in fireworks accident [Weird][Harrisburg]
Never mind that he was 51 years of age.
Never mind that he was playing with fireworks.
He was charged with making weapons of mass destruction(!) You remember those right? The ones we are still looking for in Iraq, apparently WE have them.
Man critically hurt in fireworks accident - Midstate PA Local News, Weather, Sports & Entertainment - PennLive.com
Man critically hurt in fireworks accident
by BARBARA MILLER, Of Our Lebanon County Bureau Tuesday May 27, 2008, 11:36 AM
A South Lebanon Twp. man is in critical condition in Hershey Medical Center with injuries suffered after being struck in the head by an explosive device made by a guest attending a family gathering Monday, police said.
Francisco Rodriguez, 51, of the 2000 block of East Pennsylvania Avenue, was conscious but suffering from severe injuries when emergency responders were called at 4:17 p.m. for a report of a man struck in the head by fireworks, police said.
Police said a guest at Rodriguez's home, Scott Garloff, 44, of the 1900 block of Leslie Avenue, had made three explosive devices, one of which detonated and injured Rodriguez.
Garloff was charged with risking a catastrophe and manufacture of weapons of mass destruction. Additional charges are pending regarding Rodriguez' injuries, police said.
Garloff was arraigned before District Judge Christine Heck and released on $10,000 bail.