Why do male mammals have nipples?

Question

this seems to make no sense from either an evolutionary or creationist view

Answer 1

They are "vestigial" (no longer needed, like the appendix or hair on humans to keep them warm, or feet that can grab.

Answer 2

The word "mammals" derived from the Latin word "mamma" or breast. Mammal is a species that have breasts and feeds its young with milk. The human embryo has tissue that will evolve into breasts. Both male and female babies are born with nipples and ducts intact. It is the presence of genes that direct hormones to differentiate the breast tissue. The Y chromosome in humans stimulates hormones such as testosterone to form male features.

Although females have the mammary glands, we all start out in a similar way in the embryo. During development, the embryo follows a female template until about six weeks, when the male sex chromosome kicks in for a male embryo. The embryo then begins to develop all of its male characteristics. Men are thus left with nipples and also with some breast tissue.

However, a platypuses does not have nipples - not only do male platypuses not have nipples, neither do females. The milk simply flows out through pores and is licked up by baby platypuses. And while platypuses are not actually categorized as reptiles, you'll notice that people are always talking about how "primitive" they are and making fun of their noses.

Answer 3

Male mammals have nipples (with the exception of the duck billed platypus and the echidna/spiny anteater) because mammals are defined by 2 things; the ability to nourish their young with milk and fur/hair.

Even though the female mammal typically nurses the young, BOTH male and female mammals have mammary glands and BOTH male and female mammals have the structure that milk typically comes from, the nipple (save aforementioned exceptions).

Interestingly, male mammals CAN and DO produce milk in extreme circumstances and yes MEN CAN LACTATE, weird, but true.

Try the following resources, if you dont believe me.
http://www.unassistedchildbirth.com/miscarticles/milkmen.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Male_lactation
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1511/is_n2_v16/ai_16051177

or do your own search for "male lactation"

Answer 4

males don't start out as males as fetuses in the womb. the fetus can be either male or female until after a specific hormone kicks in and determines male sex. so while the fetus is waiting for the hormone to kick in, it develops different body parts, and nipples are one of them "just in case" the fetus actually develops to become a female instead of male. what differentiates the female and male fetuses is that females have breast tissues to produce the milk later on. males don't. unless they have a condition called gynocomastia (sp?), which makes males produce milk.
besides, it will just be weird if males don't have nipples.

Answer 5

The most likely reason is that is men did not have nipples, they would not be able to pass this trait down to ANY of their off spring, including females. Though females need nipples to suckle their babies, the absolutely need them as the get sexually mature.Men do not.

Answer 6

Okay, Men have nipples because the fetus starts out as a female, and as it grows, it becomes either male or female.

Answer 7

Nipples are developed before sexual differentiation of the embryo.

Answer 8

when you typed that question, other similiar or the same questions would have come up on the screen. This question has been asked MANY times before.

Answer 9

Wouldnt they look strange without them though???

Answer 10

you gotta play with somethng while masturbating.