Another branch of comparative anatomy studies structures in humans
(and other so called ‘higher’ forms of life) that were believed by
evolutionists to be the remains of structures that were required or
useful in ‘lower’, less evolved and less complex ancestral forms, but
that now no longer are necessary.
In this case, the homologous organ in the more advanced animal is less developed, or even deemed useless. Such homologous structures or organs are referred to as vestigial,
with most examples being assumed remnants that resulted from the loss
of an earlier, better developed structure. Evolutionists used to proudly
point to over a hundred such structures in humans, but the number has
decreased consistently as anatomical knowledge has increased.
Today, only a couple of examples at most are usually
mentioned (and there is no doubt that even the few examples usually
mentioned are useful and not vestigial). As Howitt28 noted, the
celebrated German anatomist, Wiedersheim, listed 180 vestigial organs in
the human body, but with the increase of knowledge it has been found that every one of them has an important function, although the functions of some organs is presently viewed as minor, or as serving a back-up capacity.
Moreover, if some vestigial organs can be proven to
exist, they provide support not for evolution, but for
de-evolution|--|i.e. evolution-in-reverse. What the evolutionists must
demonstrate is that the development of new and useful organs is
occurring today. They also must prove that a process exists that can
form new structures called nascent organs, instead of trying to
document that once-useful organs now are useless. Evidence for the
development of new organs, or those in the process of evolving, would be
evidence of evolution. As of now, no evidence of any nascent organ exists.
Evolutionary Naturalism or an Intelligent Designer?