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

= 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. 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 . 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

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