• Question: Whyy Are Bums Created? What Are tHEY uSED For? Whyy DooWe Need Them? xD

    Asked by camdi to Chris, Emily, Martin, Natalie, Tamsin on 16 Mar 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Chris Cooper

      Chris Cooper answered on 16 Mar 2010:

      They are not created. They have evolved to their present shape. I think it is worth thinking of what somebody without a bum would look like? Is this really possible? If we define a bum as what we sit on then we have to sit on something so they have always existed. Why they are their present shape relates to the muscle structure needed for lots of things that aren’t about sitting of course.

    • Photo: Martin Coath

      Martin Coath answered on 17 Mar 2010:

      Bums are just muscles that help to move our legs. They are called the gluteal muscles which make up what – more correctly – are called “the buttocks”. These muscles are bigger than arm or finger muscles because we do a lot of work with our legs so we need a lot of muscle power.

      We do have a little bit of fat on our bums as well. We need fat stores to help us survive when there is no food and it is convenient to store it low down.

      In between these muscles (I looked it up – there are three on each side – I didn’t know that!) is the place where our intestines end, and food leaves our body when we are finished with it. This is not a bum or buttocks – this is an Anus and is also full of muscles.

    • Photo: Natalie Stanford

      Natalie Stanford answered on 17 Mar 2010:

      I think the most obvious use for bums is so you can poo out all the waste left over from what you eat. Otherwise it would all just get stuck in your digestive system.

      I’m not sure about anything else. I think it must have evolved to provide some use in attracting a mate aswell, and it certainly helps to keep your legs attached to your body too!

    • Photo: Emily Cook

      Emily Cook answered on 17 Mar 2010:

      Two main reasons!

      Your bum contains the gluteal muscles, which control standing up and sitting down and rotating your hips.
      It does sadly always make me giggle when a serious sports star has a gluteal injury – which means they have a sore bottom! I realise that is a bit childish off me, sorry.

      The other reason is a bit of padding so when you sit down your bones don’t jab straight into a hard surface which would not be very comfortable!

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