Our very ancient animal ancestors had tails. Why don't we? Somewhere around 20 million or 25 million years ago, when apes diverged from monkeys, our branch of the tree of life shed tails.

The long structures seen in manta rays and their relatives function as an early warning system, rather than a defensive ...

So you don't need a tail as a counterbalance. Pretty disappointing, huh? That being said, you can still see a reminder of a time when our ancient primate ancestors had one. Just look at a human spine.

Enjoy our expertly researched article about why cats have tails. From the biological reasons to the body language, you may be surprised!

Lemurs, lizards, whales — all are famed for their tails in some way. But which animal has the longest tail ... "You could think of it as the long beam that people walking across a tightrope ...