Getting Goosebumps

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All this week we’ve looked at the claim that our bodies are full of useless evolutionary leftovers. We’ve seen this argument is, well, useless! All of the so-called “useless” structures have been shown to have a function.

As our last example we’ll look at goosebumps. These bumps form when tiny muscles contract, pulling the hair upright. In furry mammals, this helps increase their fur’s insulation. But, since it doesn’t do that for us, some people say goosebumps are useless. But this muscle action creates extra heat and draws oil to our skin as a moisturizer. They also heighten our sensitivity in a threatening situation.

Since we didn’t evolve, there aren’t useless structures.

Dig Deeper

• Are “Vestigial Organs” Really “Proof of Evolution . . . on Your Body”?
• Setting the Record Straight on Vestigial Organs