Seriously, why do us men have nipples? We don't use them, they are just there? Biologically why do we have them? What is the point of a man having nipples? Most other male animal creatures have no nipples, why do we have them?
2007-12-13 06:42:02 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
I don't know if other animals do not have nipples, I'm just stating that I haven't noticed any other animals with them.
2007-12-13 06:52:57 · update #1
Some of the answers are close....that they form early, before fetal sexual differentiation. The ultimate answer is that there is no harm in having nipples to being in common for all mammals (male or female) because it certainly helps "make sure" that lactating females will be properly equipped to raise their young! The flip side is that....there is no apparent metabolic cost or "downside" to the males carrying them around. They leave just as many viable offspring as would any males that might have a mutation to be nipple-free. Evolutionarily, there must be more advantage to everyone carrying them around than to having males do without. It is all about who leaves the most viable offspring....and having nipples on males has apparently not been an important part of selection pressures on mammals, as a group.
I like this one....because it is a good example to throw back at "Intelligent Design" idiots. Evolution has given us things we need....and also things we have no use for! I.D. , of course, wouldn't work that way....all the males would look like Ken dolls.
2007-12-13 07:17:01 · answer #1 · answered by BandEB 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This question has been answered about 1000 times here. On all mammals the nipples form on the fetus before the sex is established.
It is not true that other male mammals do not have nipples. All of them do have them. You just haven't looked closely enough.
2007-12-13 14:51:26 · answer #2 · answered by Joan H 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
When we are first conceived, the fetus is neither male nor female. Hence, both men and women have nipples.
Technically speaking, both sexes are female after first being conceived. It would be a waste of energy for the nipples to just simply 'disappear', because the embryo can develop into a male from a template female.
Also, we are mammals.
2007-12-13 14:49:31 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Male cats and dogs have nipples.
I saw a documentary about a man who lactated and breast fed his baby so maybe they're not completely useless.
Maybe it has something to do with all fetuses starting out as female, maybe the nipples are formed before the sex is decided.
I don't really know though.
2007-12-13 14:46:55 · answer #4 · answered by SamIam 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I think it's because the nipples are programmed in the dna before it's determined whether you're going to be a boy or girl.
I don't know, but it's a great question!
2007-12-13 14:49:58 · answer #5 · answered by Muschi 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My bio teacher asked us this question too...we figured it was a vestigial reminant and, because we both start out as an sexually ambigious organism.
I have a girl and a boy dog and both have nipples too.
2007-12-13 14:57:23 · answer #6 · answered by originalsmartie 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Read the book!
http://www.amazon.com/Nipples-Hundreds-Questions-Doctor-Martini/dp/1400082315/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1197575906&sr=8-1
2007-12-13 14:58:56 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Because they would look wierd without them i guess...good question though!!ever heard the phrase ''AS USELESS AS **** ON A BOAR HOG''?? kinda the same thing LOL
2007-12-13 14:48:04 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
so i can bite them. mm-mm-mm!!
2007-12-13 14:45:58 · answer #9 · answered by Wookie 2 · 4⤊ 2⤋