7 body parts that are useless in humans (or maybe not)
There's some debate around which human body parts are useless and which aren't.
Does the human body contain any truly useless parts? Arguably, yes — but they might not be the ones you assume.
Some body parts, like the male nipple, arguably serve no useful function. But others, like the appendix, remain a matter of debate, as recent research suggests that they may serve a purpose scientists don't yet fully understand.
Scientists have a track record of rating organs' importance before learning their true functions. But the more we learn, the more we realize many of those "useless" parts are actually essential.
For example, in the 1890s, anatomist Robert Wiedersheim published a list of 86 human "vestiges," or body parts that had "lost their original physiological significance" to humans. The list, published in his book "The Structure of Man: An Index to His Past History," included essential anatomy, such as key valves in veins that help direct blood flow; the thymus gland, which makes disease-fighting white blood cells; and the hormone-producing pituitary and pineal glands.
Scientists continue to discover new things about the human body to this day. With that in mind, here are the human body's seemingly useless parts, some of which remain controversial.
There's some debate around which human body parts are useless and which aren't.
