Many internal and external features we possess are merely remnants inherited from our ancestors. These traits often no longer serve a practical purpose in our modern lives. As people no longer need to scavenge for food or live as nomads, we still carry these almost obsolete characteristics, passed down from a time when they were essential for survival.
Take, for instance, the curious phenomenon of goosebumps
This isn’t just a random occurrence. Our mammalian ancestors had a way of dealing with cold temperatures. Goosebumps helped them increase their surface area to retain heat. When we’re cold, a muscle attached to our arm hairs contracts, making the hairs stand upright and creating bumps on our skin.
While this response no longer serves a significant purpose in our lives today, it still reminds us to grab a coat on a chilly day. We can observe modern mammals engaging in this biological instinct, such as a pigeon puffing up its feathers to stay warm on a cold winter day. If that isn’t evidence of evolution, what is?
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