What Are the Unique Uses of a Human Tail in Nature?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the potential uses of a human tail, exploring various functions that tails serve in different species within nature. Participants contribute ideas that range from practical applications to more whimsical or speculative uses.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants suggest that tails can serve as extensions for tools, such as automobiles.
  • Others propose various functional uses of tails in animals, including balance for squirrels, grasping for monkeys, and steering for swimming dogs.
  • One participant mentions the use of tails for sun protection, flyswatting, and signaling alarms or warnings in species like deer and skunks.
  • A more unconventional viewpoint is presented, suggesting that a tail could serve as a sexual aid in reproduction.
  • Another participant notes that cats use their tails to appear larger during confrontations.
  • Discussion includes specific examples from other species, such as the steering function of flying geckos and propulsion in fish, as well as references to dinosaurs with unique tail adaptations for defense.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants present a variety of perspectives on the uses of tails, with no clear consensus on what constitutes the most relevant or unique uses. The discussion remains open-ended with multiple competing views.

Contextual Notes

Some claims rely on specific animal behaviors and adaptations, which may not directly translate to human anatomy or function. The discussion includes speculative elements and lacks empirical support for certain assertions.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in evolutionary biology, animal behavior, or the anatomical adaptations of species may find this discussion relevant.

Loren Booda
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Try your hand at compiling below a list of distinct uses for that missing kink of homo sapiens sapiens - the tail.
 
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1) Makes a good extension for an automobile.
 
You want to know the uses of tails? Okay:
1) balance, such as squirrels in trees
2) grasping, such as monkeys in trees holding on
3) steering, such as certain breeds of sporting dogs (like labrador retrievers) who use their tail as a rudder while swimming
4) sunblock, as in that's tender skin below the tail that you don't want to get sunburnt!
5) flyswatter, such as horses
6) alarm signal, such as for white-tailed deer
7) warning sign, such as skunks

That's all I can think of off the top of my head.
 
it makes a wonderful sex toy !

*aids in reproduction?
 
Kitty cats get big fluffy tails when engaged in warfare. It makes them look bigger to their opponents.
 
Flat tail of "flying" geckos used for steering in the air mid glide.
Fish tails used for propeling themselves through the water.
I forget what the dinosaur with the bone ball tail is called but it must have beat the crap out of predators with that thing. I've also forgotten what the name of the dino with the whip tail is called. I saw a show on it and it was thought that they cracked their tail at twice the speed of sound. I've also forgotten the name of the dinosaur that had a dagger-like bone "knife" on the end of its tail.
 

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