06 February 2017

Vestigial body structures


The palmaris longus tendon info was new to me.

Good talking points for discussions with children, or with doubters of evolution (though unlikely to be effective with the latter).

8 comments:

  1. Sorry, this ignorant Bible thumper will have to chime in quickly. "Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear." Hebrews 11:3 It's as simple as that. Everyone will know the truth soon enough.

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  2. that's exactly how i have it on my hands. so now i am worried - why don't i have that tendon on both hands, just on the right?

    which makes me wonder about handedness - i am right handed, and i have the tendon on my right arm. if you are left handed, do you only have the tendon on your left arm? does the presence or absence of the tendon affect handedness?

    I-)

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    Replies
    1. I wonder what the rest of your family has. Are there family members you can check with?

      Apparently, the tendon can also appear as a double, so some people actually have four (two per hand).

      I was born with one on each hand, the most common arrangement. My right one has been relocated to my right elbow, where it is standing in for a ligament I tore a few years ago.

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    2. good point - i just sent off an email asking about that. i will report back when i get a reply.

      I-)

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  3. Anonymous, I have 2 on the left arm, 1 on the right, and I am right handed. Maybe random?

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    Replies
    1. :-) that kind of skews it - one on the right and being RHanded. :-) maybe having two on the left made it easier to be RHanded. :-)

      you do have a very good point - it may just be random.

      I-)

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  4. Just in time for Darwin Day!
    http://darwinday.org/

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