Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Science/2021 March 22

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March 22

Why can't humans have tail if they have tails in their sperms?

In human sperm diagram, there is a "tail". What happened to that tail ? How is it gone finally? Rizosome (talk) 13:17, 22 March 2021 (UTC)

You might as well ask, if the human ovum is egg-shaped, why humans aren't all shaped like eggs? Martinevans123 (talk) 13:22, 22 March 2021 (UTC)

But we do have a (vestigial) tail: see Human_vestigiality#Coccyx. Mike Turnbull (talk) 14:36, 22 March 2021 (UTC)

Ah, ok. You might have something there. Martinevans123 (talk) 14:45, 22 March 2021 (UTC)

A sperm cell has a Flagellum, which is not a "tail" in the same sense as that of an adult creature. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 16:54, 22 March 2021 (UTC)

Yes, but don't forget. Martinevans123 (talk) 16:57, 22 March 2021 (UTC)

Perhaps the OP believes in preformationism. Alansplodge (talk) 17:19, 22 March 2021 (UTC)

A full human body is very separate and different from a sperm cell; there's no reason they should have similarities (beyond genetic material). Xnft (talk) 17:30, 22 March 2021 (UTC)

When initially discovered, observed through optical miscroscopes, the "tails" of sperm cells were thought to make whip-like motions; hence the scientific name flagellum, Latin for "whip". We now know that the flagellum is shaped like a rigid corkscrew and propels the cell by rotating; see Flagellum § Mechanism. Please don't ask why humans don't have a corkscrew-shaped rotating appendage to drive them forward.  --Lambiam 18:21, 22 March 2021 (UTC)

Your very reference reports that only prokariotes possess rotating flagella with a wheel at their basis. Eukariotes' flagella don't rotate but really whip their microtubulate backbone 2003:F5:6F0A:3500:80A7:D51B:4523:3DB4 (talk) 12:15, 23 March 2021 (UTC) Marco PB

Some other species do have a corkscrew-shaped appendage. DMacks (talk) 21:17, 22 March 2021 (UTC)

If your question is actually what happens to the sperm's "tail", the answer is that it dissolves once the sperm cell is inside the egg cell. See Human fertilization. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 18:27, 22 March 2021 (UTC)

Does anyone here really think these questions are being asked seriously, given the pattern from this user? --OuroborosCobra (talk) 22:38, 22 March 2021 (UTC)

Not even for a second. DMacks (talk) 01:54, 23 March 2021 (UTC)

Yes but most newborn children are exactly as bold as any spermium. Don't you think he can have hit something there? 2003:F5:6F0A:3500:80A7:D51B:4523:3DB4 (talk) 12:15, 23 March 2021 (UTC) Marco PB

They go charging around, diving head-first into giant eggs?? Martinevans123 (talk) 15:05, 23 March 2021 (UTC)

As soon as they learn to crawl they do just that. Giant eggs if there are some, otherwise anything they can dive head-first into, yes. 2003:F5:6F0A:3500:80A7:D51B:4523:3DB4 (talk) 23:32, 23 March 2021 (UTC) Marco PB

@OuroborosCobra: I am trying to post questions seriously and also not uncreative. Rizosome (talk) 14:56, 23 March 2021 (UTC)