Results: Missing Parts (Part 3 of 3)

Palmaris muscle - This muscle runs down the wrist area to the elbow and contributes to the flexion movement at the wrist joint and small joints of the hand. It especially helps active individuals perform activities such as climbing, martial arts or hanging. It's true that not many people hang from cliffs or trees these days as our ancestors did in the past, which is why scientists claim this muscle will no longer be used sometime in the future. "It's been a while since it was useful," says Dorsa Amir, an evolutionary anthropologist at Boston College. Now, however, people have the same grip strength whether or not they have the muscle. "Natural selection is not a system geared toward perfect efficiency," Amir says. Do you think this body part will no longer exist in the future?

Neck rib - Scientists believe this set of ribs is a remnant feature from the age of reptiles. One to three percent of people all over the world still has it, either on their left or right side, or on both sides, often causing nerve and artery issues. This set of ribs is sometimes incomplete or extremely thin, but they can still put pressure on the blood vessels and nerves around the neck, often causing nerve and artery issues and shoulder and neck pain. The good news is that people will no longer have to deal with these cervical ribs for too long as scientists say they disappear sooner than we think. Do you think this body part will no longer exist in the future?

A third eyelid - The third eyelid is not some mystic thing that gives you deep insight and psychic powers. That's the third eye. The third eyelid is the flap of skin located at the corner of your eye, very close to the nose. In scientific terms, it is known as the plica semilunaris, or the nictitating membrane. These eyelids are specific to birds and reptiles, used for protection against dust and debris or to provide moisture for better vision. In people who have them, third eyelids no longer serve their original purpose which is why they will pretty much disappear. Do you think this body part will no longer exist in the future?

Grasp reflex - This is particularly specific to babies who tend to grab things the minute they touch them. In the past, when people were hairier, similar to monkeys, it was easier for babies to hold onto their mothers without falling. This allowed their mothers to have both their hands free and do more things. Babies still have the grasp reflex up to four months after birth but since humans evolved, it is presumed that they will no longer need the powerful grasp of our ancestors. Do you think this body part will no longer exist in the future?