Sometimes there are mysteries in life we don’t even think about. For instance —
Why is the human penis shaped the way it is?
It’s really not an intuitive shape, and it’s actually quite different from other penises of mammals that are closely related to us. Primates, like the chimpanzee, do not have the pronounced glans, but instead have penile spines. The human penis is definitely unique!
The Human Penis: Big and Spineless
First, the human penis is relatively large, when compared with other mammals. And, those lack of penile spines is believed to have developed due to our tendency toward monogamous relationships. Penile spines have nerve endings, enhancing sexual sensation. Without those spines, humans are able to engage in longer bouts of sex, enhancing pair bonding and monogamy.
What About the Glans?
The mushroom shape of the human penis glans, and coronal ridge, actually does have a reason behind it’s design too. The umbrella shape actually is used to remove the semen (and sperm) of anyone else who may have copulated with your woman, during a certain period of time. This then helps ensure your sperm is the one who impregnates her. Evolutionary psychologist, Gordon Gallup, actually experimented with different-shaped phalluses, and discovered that the human proportions were very effective at sweeping out semen.
This is also the reason why the human penis becomes flaccid relatively quickly after ejaculation. You don’t want your own penis to sweep out all of your semen, after all that hard work (pun intended).
1 Comment
I was actually wondering about this earlier, good post!