Vestigial organs are evolutionary relics, once functional in ancestors but now redundant or minimally useful due to evolutionary adaptations. These organs are genetically inherited yet offer no substantial benefit to the organism.
Examples in Humans:
Appendix: Formerly aiding in digestion, this small appendage in the large intestine is now largely superfluous.
Wisdom Teeth: Once essential for grinding down tough vegetation, these teeth are now typically removed due to modern dietary changes and space constraints in the jaw.
Coccyx (Tailbone): A vestige of the tails found in mammalian ancestors, it no longer serves a critical function in humans.
Auricular Muscles: While some animals actively use these ear muscles for orientation, they remain dormant in humans.
List-I Placental mammals | List-II Counterpart Marsupials |
---|---|
(A) Anteater | (II) Numbat |
(B) Bobcat | (IV) Tasmanian tiger cat |
(C) Lemur | (I) Spotted cuscus |
(D) Flying squirrel | (III) Flying Phalanger |
Derive an expression for maximum speed of a vehicle moving along a horizontal circular track.
Predict the type of cubic lattice of a solid element having edge length of 400 pm and density of 6.25 g/ml.
(Atomic mass of element = 60)