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Tails can be long or short, feathery or furry. They're also used for a variety of functions including communication, balance, grasping, and defense. Some animals even use them to keep insects at bay. According to The Straight Dope, humans did have tails at one point. "Human embryos have a tail that measures about one-sixth of the size of the embryo itself. As the embryo develops into a fetus, the tail is absorbed by the growing body, but some traces remain even in adults." On occasion, a baby is born with a "soft tail" which has no vertebrae. But even with that bit of science out of the way, humans are known as tailless mammals. Joining us in our small club are the great
apes: gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans. The only monkey without a tail is the Barbary macaque. Some bats also lack the rear appendage, as does the tailless tenrec (a small insectivorous mammal). Does all this talk of tails have you longing for an extra appendage? Not us -- the likelihood of having them stepped on more than negates the potential benefits.
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