ShmoopTube

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Here’s your Shmoop du jour, brought to you by ill consequences.

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We bet they’d feel better with a big bowl of chicken noodle soup. [Consequeces in bed with a bowl of chicken noodle soup]

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Check out the following statement…

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Because the human appendix can often be removed without any ill consequences, many scientists

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believe it is this.

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And here are the potential answers: Let’s start with A, homologous structures.

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Take a look at your hand. [Man looks at own hand]

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You can grab, point, wave, hit, and hold, all with the help of your handy-dandy hand.

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That’s how human hands evolved, and it’s a good thing they did…they come in handy [Man gesturing with hand while in traffic]

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during rush hour traffic.

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…Not that we do that, or anything.

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But take a look at this seal. [A seal riding a car]

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Not only is this seal a far better driver…his “hands” evolved into flippers, which help

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him swim.

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So even though our hands have similar bones, muscles and nerves when compared to seal’s

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flippers, they perform different functions.

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A seal’s flippers and human hands are examples of homologous structures. [A man and seal dancing]

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They have similar anatomy, but different functions.

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And considering the appendix can be removed without any ill consequences, we know that

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it has no function, so we can eliminate A. So what about “B”?

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Biogeography is the study of the distribution of species and ecosystems in different geographic

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spaces.

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The last time we checked, the appendix wasn’t occupying any geographic spaces, so we can [Man checking a map for appendix]

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safely eliminate B. What about “D,” comparative embryology?

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Comparative embryology compares and contrasts the fetal stages of different species.

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The Greek philosopher Aristotle is considered to be the world’s first comparative embryologist. [Aristotle appears in a library]

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In his writings, Aristotle mentioned “eggs” and “live births,” but surprisingly enough,

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never spoke of the appendix…

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Not even…in the appendix... [A list of words in an appendix]

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Sorry.

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Anyway, we can eliminate “D.” Looks like “C” is our answer.

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Throughout human evolution, certain organs in the body have lost their original functions.

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Look at the tailbone. [A man showing a tail bone]

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When our tails fell off, the tailbone became vestigial, or functionless.

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It’s a shame, though.

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If we still had a tail, we’d always have something to do when we’re bored. [Man chasing a tail]

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The appendix suffers the same sad fate as the tailbone.

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Good bacteria is stored in the appendix and used to help fight off the effects of dysentery

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and cholera.

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However, since those ailments are harder to catch these days than the 6:25 a.m. school [School bus arrives]

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bus, the appendix has long since lost its function, making it a vestigial organ.

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But don’t worry, vestigial organs.

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If Simon and Garfunkle can have two comebacks and the Eagles can have five... so can you. [Vestigial organs playing in a band]

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