Here is a small selection:
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The epiphysis
This brain gland produces a hormone called melatonin. Produced in the dark, it regulates the circadian rhythm and allows the body to understand that it is dark and time for to rest.
The coccyx
Most people know that the coccyx, which terminates the spine at the pelvis level, is, in terms of evolution, the remnant of a human tail.
But this bone has other functions that are much more useful. It is used in particular to fix in place the ligaments and muscles that are necessary for the proper functioning of the intestines, bladder and genitals.
Appendix
Located at the right end of the large intestine, the appendix is a kind of pocket that tends to become inflamed, sometimes needing to be removed to avoid complications.
But this small body is actually a factory with good bacteria that can improve the digestive process when in good health. Without an appendix, the human body has weaker immune defenses and does not recover as much from certain conditions.
Tonsils
Tonsils are glands located at the back of the throat, more exactly in the pharynx. They are used primarily to protect the body against bacteria and viruses that we breathe in every day without realizing it.
If they become inflamed, they become a focus of infection and lose their usefulness. It is then advisable to have them removed.
Male nipples
On woman they are used to nurse infants, but when it comes to men, the function of the nipples remains mysterious. They exist simply because during the fertilization and birth of the human embryo, the Y chromosome that determines the masculine gender is still inactive. It is only during the second month of pregnancy that the male apparatus develops and that testosterone appears. But the nipples are already there.
The spleen
Unrecognized yet essential even if it hasn't revealed all its functions, the spleen mainly produces antibodies and helps the body to defend itself. It is also used to destroy old red blood cells that have become useless. It's also a reserve of fresh blood that is released during heavy physical effort.
Sinuses
During a big cold they become inflamed and give a headache. Yet sinuses have many benefits. They lighten the mass of the cranial bone on the lower part of the skull. They serve for the formation of the voice, functioning as a sounding board. They act as a bumper during trauma.
Finally, they warm and humidify inhaled air.
The thymus
Housed between the two lungs, the thymus is a gland that produces cells in the human body to fight off viruses and infections. It is active mainly during the first three years of life and gradually disappears thereafter. In elderly people, there's no trace of it.
