anatomy

Factual Questions
1

Why do men have nipples? And don’t tell me it’s because they’re left over from a previous evolutionary state- why did they EVER have nipples?

2

One take on the subject:

http://www.newscientist.com/lastword/answers/lwa196body.html

And now you’ve been promoted from Junior Member.

3

The default plan for a mammalian body is female. In order for male secondary sexual characteristics to manifest, the developing fetus must be exposed to male hormones. As all the “male” equipment is a variation of the female, it is more economical for nature to leave irrelevent bits than to try to code for their removal. As male nipples are completely neutral, reproductive-success-wise, they are invisible to natural selection and are not worth the energy needed to breed them out.

Dr. Fidelius, Charlatan
Associate Curator Anomalous Paleontology, Miskatonic University
“You cannot reason a man out of a position that he did not reach through reason.”

4

Pacifiers for cave-babies?
Peace,
mangeorge

Work like you don’t need the money…
Love like you’ve never been hurt…
Dance like nobody’s watching! …Unknown

5

I’ll have to agree that all human bodies begin female. I remember hearing in Biology class 110 years ago that the fetus begins with gonads (stop smirking!) that either become testicles or ovaries. The same goes for the genitals which either become vagina with clitoris or penis (the penis and clitoris are basically the same thing).
So, why would the nipple issue be any different? All male mammels have nipples. I’m sitting with my cat right now and decided to check him. Yup, six of 'em.

“Man prefers to believe what he prefers to be true” -Albert Einstein

6

I’ll go with Dr. Fidelius on this, but for one detail (exception): apparently there is one species of Malayan fruit bat with mildly lactating males (studied 1998 or so).

7

Another take on it:
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_093.html

You might try checking Cecil’s Archives for a topic before posting?

8

I did search the archives using “male nipples” and that article did not show up, so I took it to the Web. You can imagine what else I found.

9

This discussion also came up recently in another thread, “Do boobs exist to make men happy?”:

http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum3/HTML/001303.html

Also in that thread: big boobs, small boobs, bra sizes and male lactation, with links to Cecil’s articles on all.

One good argument for your more accurate topic headers, Dex.

10

{{{I did search the archives using “male nipples” and that article did not show up, so I took it to the Web. You can imagine what else I found.—beatle}}}

As I recall, you need to search under “non-functional male nipples.” Sometime back in '97 that was a giggle-inducing thread.


{{{Why do men have nipples? And don't tell me it's because they're left over from a previous evolutionary state- why did they EVER have nipples?---KellyEllen}}}

It justifies the existance of nipple rings?

In case you aren’t counting, that’s #3.
Returning to lurk mode.

–Kalél
(The Original EnigmaOne)

11

OK, so now, why don’t baby bottles come in bilateral symmetry?

Ray (could’ve used a chocolate high early on)