# What are the significance/advantages (if any) of two testicles? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 19, 2007, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726 "2007-05-19T15:33:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DustyButt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc348/32.png) [@DustyButt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DustyButt)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/21 "2007-05-20T00:24:14Z")
Sorry for the DP, all! ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/22 "2007-05-20T01:02:34Z")
What’s wrong with **Rico** ’s pronoun antecedents? “One of my best friends” is the antecedent for “he” (in both places), and “he and his wife” is the antecedent for “they”. ---
**Author:** ![Sapo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Sapo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sapo)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/23 "2007-05-20T01:13:35Z")
[QUOTE=DustyButt] [Hijack] While growing up a good friend of mine’s mother told us a story. We were about 14-15 at the time. It was a story about a young man who was in the Navy who wanted to impress his new girlfriend. To impress her he climbed up a flag pole at his Naval Air Station. When he got to the top of this flagpole, that was estimated to be about 5-6 stories high, he cut the Navy flag loose. With the flag in tow he slid down the flagpole as the love of his life watched. What he didnt take into account were the pair of hooks towards the bottom of the flagpole used to moor the hoisting rope for the flags. As he slid down the pole, a tremendous cry of pain erupted from this poor young fellow. He hit the ground with a thud… As she stood over him she saw something resting on his bloody crotch… It was his… (Excuse me… Ahem… I have to collect myself…) nut. She then explained that this man was her husband who went on to have four kids with her, and that we were sworn to secrecy about our knowledge. And the moral to the group of young men listening that day was… Never try anything stupid to impress the girls. If they like you, they like you. [/Hijack] You have two because it’s always advantageous to have a spare when it comes to propagating the species! [/QUOTE] I beg to differ. In this case it would have been advantageous (for the species) if he had had only one and thus disqualified himself from propagation. ---
**Author:** ![Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e56c9b/32.png) [@Harriet\_the\_Spry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harriet_the_Spry)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/24 "2007-05-20T01:13:44Z")
Which child is the antecedent for “one”? ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/25 "2007-05-20T01:58:19Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] It’s a spare. [/QUOTE] How can you tell which one is the spare? ---
**Author:** ![Triskadecamus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b19c9b/32.png) [@Triskadecamus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Triskadecamus)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/26 "2007-05-20T01:59:39Z")
The advantages, in evolutionary terms of having two become evident in every case where someone ends up having only one. Other than that, no big deal. Tris ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/27 "2007-05-20T02:05:37Z")
[QUOTE=Little Nemo] No, I’d say this man is proof that the former doesn’t prohibit the latter. I can forgive somebody for being ignorant about something - all of us have gaps in our knowledge. But if he had become concerned enough about this subject that he was considering leaving his wife over it, he should have taken a moment or two to learn the facts. The fact that he got this deep into a belief that could have been dispelled by ten minutes of online reading indicates that he is indeed stupid. [/QUOTE] My WAG is that this happened during the '60s or '70s (they adopted an American-Vietnames orphan), long before the internet. And back then it was very difficult for most men to discuss subjects like this with their doctors (it’s still a touchy subject for a lot of guys). So I’d be very reluctant to call the guy stupid. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/28 "2007-05-20T02:07:48Z")
The best reason for having two: they’re more fun to play with than just one. Same as nipples. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/29 "2007-05-20T02:08:40Z")
I think it is for balance. I know that I couldn’t walk straight if I didn’t have one to counterbalance the load of the other. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/30 "2007-05-20T02:14:56Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] I think it is for balance. I know that I couldn’t walk straight if I didn’t have one to counterbalance the load of the other. [/QUOTE] My parents used to have a dog with only one testicle. And yes, it walked crooked. ---
**Author:** ![newcrasher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b3f665/32.png) [@newcrasher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/newcrasher)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/31 "2007-05-20T04:12:26Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] I think it is for balance. I know that I couldn’t walk straight if I didn’t have one to counterbalance the load of the other. [/QUOTE] …yet only one penis… ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2007, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/32 "2007-05-20T04:21:44Z")
[Dr. Evil] One, two… and three. Okay. [/Dr.E] ---
**Author:** ![DustyButt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc348/32.png) [@DustyButt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DustyButt)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/33 "2007-05-21T21:29:17Z")
[QUOTE=newcrasher] …yet only one penis… [/QUOTE] And two hands… ---
**Author:** ![shelbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@shelbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/shelbo)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/34 "2007-05-21T22:45:42Z")
[big red one] That’s why God gave you two! [/big red one] ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/35 "2007-05-21T23:21:36Z")
[QUOTE=panache45] My parents used to have a dog with only one testicle. And yes, it walked crooked. [/QUOTE] I believe what you mean to say here is that they had a dog with only one _scrotal_ testicle. The second was likely either inguinal or abdominal;. ---
**Author:** ![danceswithcats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9e8a1a/32.png) [@danceswithcats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danceswithcats)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/36 "2007-05-21T23:25:39Z")
[QUOTE=newcrasher] How can you tell which one is the spare? [/QUOTE] It’s the one that’s tucked up underneath the folds of skin. Stick a crank in yer bum and wind slowly counterclockwise-it’ll soon be visible as the cable lets it down. Once the spare testicle is installed, ensure that the nuts are tight. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/37 "2007-05-21T23:37:44Z")
[QUOTE=Shagnasty] I think it is for balance. I know that I couldn’t walk straight if I didn’t have one to counterbalance the load of the other. [/QUOTE] You adjust. [Trust me, I know what I’m talking about.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=159781&highlight=Testicle) ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2007, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/38 "2007-05-21T23:48:57Z")
[QUOTE=Tristan] You adjust. [Trust me, I know what I’m talking about.](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=159781&highlight=Testicle) [/QUOTE] Hey **Tristan** ; If you don’t mind: Lefty or righty? ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [May 22, 2007, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/39 "2007-05-22T00:19:47Z")
[QUOTE=Annie-Xmas] Yes, including [Hitler](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_128b.html) [/QUOTE] My grandmother once told me that, _according to one of her HS teachers_, a goat bit one of his testicles off when he was trying to urinate into it’s mouth as a teenager. ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [May 25, 2007, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726/40 "2007-05-25T02:08:54Z")
[QUOTE=vetbridge] Hey **Tristan** ; If you don’t mind: Lefty or righty? [/QUOTE] You know, I’m not really sure. I think what I have is my left testicle. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-significance-advantages-if-any-of-two-testicles/404726.md?page=3)