Podcast
Questions and Answers
What are vestigial organs?
What are vestigial organs?
What can cause an organ to become vestigial?
What can cause an organ to become vestigial?
Which organ is listed as vestigial in humans according to the content?
Which organ is listed as vestigial in humans according to the content?
How long does it take for vestigial organs to disappear?
How long does it take for vestigial organs to disappear?
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Which of these is NOT mentioned as a vestigial organ in the content?
Which of these is NOT mentioned as a vestigial organ in the content?
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What is the term for organs that have lost their original function over time?
What is the term for organs that have lost their original function over time?
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Which of the following is NOT an example of a vestigial organ in humans?
Which of the following is NOT an example of a vestigial organ in humans?
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Which vestigial organ in humans was once useful for tail movement in animals?
Which vestigial organ in humans was once useful for tail movement in animals?
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What is the role of natural selection in the context of vestigial organs?
What is the role of natural selection in the context of vestigial organs?
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Why might a specific structure in the body become useless or harmful according to the passage?
Why might a specific structure in the body become useless or harmful according to the passage?
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Which of these vestigial organs is mentioned as useful for body warmth in animals but not in humans?
Which of these vestigial organs is mentioned as useful for body warmth in animals but not in humans?
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Study Notes
Vestigial Organs
- Vestigial organs are degenerated or underdeveloped organs that have lost their original function in an organism.
- They are present in living organisms due to their adaptation to specific conditions in the past.
- These organs were once useful but became useless or even harmful under changing environmental conditions.
- The process of natural selection favors organisms with structures best suited for their environment, leading to the disappearance of vestigial organs over time.
Examples of Vestigial Organs in Humans
- Appendix: useful in ruminants, but useless in humans.
- Muscles of the ear pinna: useful for ear movement in animals, but useless in humans.
- Tailbone (coccyx): useful for tail movement in animals, but useless in humans.
- Wisdom teeth: useful in some animals, but useless in humans.
- Body hair: useful for body warmth in animals, but useless in humans.
Characteristics of Vestigial Organs
- They are present in different phases of disappearance.
- Although non-functional in certain organisms, they may not be vestigial in other organisms.
- It takes thousands of years for the disappearance of organs.
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Description
Learn about degenerated or underdeveloped useless organs in organisms and how they adapt to specific conditions through natural selection.
