The Hidden Wisdom in “Useless” Human Organs

1. Why do people grow wisdom teeth if they often have to be removed?

2. Why does the human eye have a “blind spot”?

3. Why does the human spine end with a small “tailbone”?

Each of these organs has been labeled by some as “leftovers” of evolution. Yet, when examined more deeply, each one reveals extraordinary wisdom in its design.

Before diving into each example, it’s important to remember that a lack of understanding does not mean lack of purpose. As the Sages teach: “Not seeing is not proof” (Mishnah, Eduyot 2:2). If we don’t yet understand how something works, that only means that further study is necessary.

History repeatedly proves this point. Doctors once removed children’s tonsils routinely, thinking they were useless, until it was discovered that tonsils play a crucial role in the immune system. Scientists once dismissed large sections of human DNA as “junk DNA,” until further research revealed their regulatory functions. The appendix, too, was long considered unnecessary, until it was shown to help maintain gut health and immunity.

Time and again, organs once labeled “leftovers” turned out to be essential parts of a remarkably intricate system. Sometimes their purpose is hidden only because it depends on complex interactions with other organs or biological systems. Science advances most when approached with awe, not arrogance.

1. Wisdom Teeth – Backup or Relic?

Wisdom teeth (third molars) are called so because they emerge later in life — usually between ages 17 and 25, when a person reaches maturity. While they sometimes cause pain and require removal, studies show that in most cases they erupt without serious problems. Source: Bergman, Jerry. “Are wisdom teeth (third molars) vestiges of human evolution?” TJ 12(3):297–304, 1998.

Why do wisdom teeth appear at all? Two main theories have been proposed:

Theory 1: Changing Diets and Smaller Jaws

Over generations, human diets have shifted from coarse, natural foods to softer, processed ones. Early humans needed stronger jaws and extra molars to chew tough plant fibers and meats. The verse hints at this change: “Thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herbs of the field” (Bereishit 3:18).

As food became softer, jaw size gradually decreased, leaving less room for the final molars. In many people today, that reduced space causes the discomfort associated with wisdom teeth.

Judaism has long recognized that natural changes occur in human traits over generations — what rabbinic literature calls “shinui hateva’im” (changes in nature). Variations in height, skin tone, or body structure are part of the genetic flexibility designed by God.

The Talmud (Shabbat 31b) records that Rabbi Hillel explained regional differences in human features as adaptive design: people in desert climates developed narrower eyes to protect from sand and wind, and those in swampy areas developed broader feet for stability. The Creator designed humanity with limited adaptive flexibility — small genetic variations, not new creations.

This differs greatly from evolution in the macro sense, which claims the creation of new organs or new genetic information. Minor variations like jaw size are simply built-in adaptations, but not evidence of evolutionary transformation.

Theory 2: A Natural Backup System

A second theory suggests that wisdom teeth serve as replacements for lost molars. In ancient or underdeveloped environments, poor nutrition or dental hygiene often caused tooth decay or loss. When wisdom teeth erupted in young adulthood, they could replace damaged molars — a built-in “backup system,” similar to how baby teeth are later replaced by permanent ones.

Evolutionary biologists have tried to argue that wisdom teeth are remnants from ape ancestors with larger jaws. However, this idea faces several major problems:

• No transitional fossils (the so-called “missing link”) support such a claim.

• Human molars are smaller, not larger, than those of apes — so the “too-small jaw” argument doesn’t hold.
  If both teeth and jaw shrank proportionally, there’s no reason the modern jaw couldn’t still accommodate them. Thus, even within their own framework, wisdom teeth cannot be used as evidence for ape ancestry.

2. The Blind Spot – A Sign of Design

The blind spot in the human eye is a tiny area on the retina where there are no light receptors. Evolutionists often point to it as a flaw in design, since the octopus eye lacks one, but there is a simple and purposeful reason for this difference.

In the human eye, the optic nerve passes through the retina — creating the blind spot, but this structure also protects the retina from ultraviolet radiation in the air. The octopus lives underwater, where UV rays are filtered out, so its eye does not need such protection. If an octopus lived on land, it would go blind quickly from unfiltered sunlight. The “flaw” is actually a brilliant adaptation for land-dwellers.

Even more remarkable is how the human brain compensates for it.
Despite each eye’s small blind spot, we perceive a complete and seamless image of the world. How? Because human vision is binocular — each eye covers the area that the other misses. The brain masterfully merges the two images into one continuous picture, perfectly filling in the missing information.

If no one told you about your blind spot, you’d never know it existed — that’s how well-designed the system is. What seems like a limitation is, in fact, a finely tuned balance between protection, depth perception, and image completion. As the article “The Advantage Within the Disadvantage” explains, even the eye’s “imperfections” serve higher purposes in human design.

3. The Tailbone – Foundation, Not Relic

At the base of the human spine lies the coccyx, commonly called the “tailbone.” Despite its name, it has nothing to do with an actual tail. It contains no movable vertebrae and cannot wag or bend. Some once claimed it was a useless vestige, but modern anatomy proves otherwise.

The coccyx anchors several key muscles and ligaments in the pelvic region — including the gluteus maximus and pelvic floor muscles, which aid in posture, balance, and sitting. Without it, standing upright and sitting comfortably would be difficult, even painful. In fact, some back pain originates from injury or misalignment of this small bone.

One creationist once joked that he’d gladly fund surgery to remove the tailbone of any atheist who calls it “useless", just to see how well he manages without it!

Importantly, no fossil evidence exists of any “ape-men” ancestors with longer tails. The claim that the coccyx is a remnant of a tail rests on speculation alone. Even secular anatomy now acknowledges its functional importance. According to Wikipedia: “The coccyx is the lowest part of the human vertebral column… It anchors several muscles, including the gluteus maximus and the coccygeal muscles, which assist in defecation. The anterior surface supports part of the rectum, and the shape differs between men and women — being less curved in women to allow childbirth.”

Every detail is purposeful — even the curvature of the coccyx differs between males and females so that during childbirth the baby can pass safely. Such precise engineering, down to the smallest bone, exemplifies the verse: “How manifold are Your works, O Lord; in wisdom You have made them all” (Tehillim 104:24).

The Wisdom Within the Design

Time and again, what was once labeled “leftover” turns out to be essential. Wisdom teeth, the blind spot, and the tailbone, all testify not to randomness, but to deliberate design. The deeper science peers into the human body, the clearer it becomes: every detail serves a purpose, even if our understanding lags behind.