Around 25 to 30 million years ago, our ancient ape relatives lost their tail. Image: DEA PICTURE LIBRARY / Contributor / Getty Images

Many of the cutest animals on Earth have one appendage in common. Whether you’re thinking of an adorable raccoon , a kitten , or a puppy , it’s hard to imagine them without their fluffy tail. In fact, the overwhelming majority of animals have tails. Only a select few, like us humans, don’t have an external tail.

But why don’t humans have tails ? To answer that question we have to go way back in our family tree, long before the first hominids ever showed up. We’re talking 25 to 30 million years ago when Megalodon stalked the seas .

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