The Penis--25 Amazing Facts You May Not know

INTRODUCTION

 Some people forget that the most important role of the penis is not as a tool for sexual gratification but, rather, as a means by which the human species is preserved. Regardless of where you stand on this issue, below you will find 25 incredible penile facts it would behoove you to know. 

Twenty-Five Cold, "Hard" Facts

--The oldest (425 million years) preserved penis belonged to a tiny water-flea-like arthropod referred to as a Colymbosathon ecplecticos, Greek for “amazing swimmer with a large penis.” The record for terrestrial creatures, though, belongs to a preserved daddy longlegs or harvestman; this specimen is only about 400 million years and it was found in Scotland.

--Since a penis is made of soft flesh, it’s difficult to find fossilized samples, except perhaps in mummified corpses. This is why most of the specimens we have access to today generally belong to arthropods (spiders, insects, crustaceans, etc.), which have exoskeleton-strengthened penises. Another exception may be for those animals that have bone tissue in the penis (e.g., bears).

--Both babies just exiting the womb and fetuses still developing inside the womb may at times exhibit an erection.  The term for this phenomenon, which can occur several times per hour, is “fetal erections.”

--At least 50% of the penis is safely tucked away inside a male’s body—in other words, if you want to get technical, the average penis is twice as long as its seen or measured length!

--There does not appear to be any correlation between foot size and penis length—there may, however, be a correlation between index finger length, height and age. 

--It’s normal for men to experience erections while asleep; in fact, experiencing such may exhibit several practical uses:  it may help inhibit bed-wetting (since you can’t urinate while the penis is erect); and it can be a way to assess penile and sexual good health. For instance, being able to experience a normal range of erections at night while, in the daytime, experiencing sexual dysfunction may indicate emotional or mental issues, as opposed to anatomical or physiological disease.

--Yes, as macabre as it may sound, cadavers can soon after death exhibit an erection, sometimes referred to as a “terminal erection” or “angel lust.” This has often been seen in men that died by hanging but other types of death that have led to this strange phenomenon include:  poisoning, dying after being shot in the head, and extensive damage to one or more of the primary blood vessels.

--Although there is no bone to “break” in the penis of humans, penises can be subject to “penile fracture.”  This mainly involves the rupturing of the corpora cavernosa’s (the spongy tissue that fills up with blood when sexually aroused) fibrous covering. This is most often seen when engaging in rough or abnormal (maybe involving an inanimate object) sex or if one happens to fall out of bed while the penis is still erect.

--The ability to control ejaculation does not rest in the brain but, rather, in nerves connected to special sensors in the head of the penis and an area called the “spinal generator of ejaculation” or SGE.  As a general rule, the first ejaculation occurs sooner than subsequent ejaculations during each act of intercourse. 

--While most men have a penis that points up at an angle of from 30 to 85 degrees (measured from the pubic area), the penis when erect can point in a number of different directions, including downwardly.  Also, most penises are not perfectly straight!

--It’s not true that having a small penis when flaccid necessarily means that, when erect, that same penis will be unusually short; by the same token, a long flaccid penis doesn’t necessarily transform into an unusually long penis when erect.

--No, masturbation does not lead to any known type of illness, including blindness; it can, however, be unhealthy if it leads to an obsession with pornography.

--If you are obsessed with penises, you should consider visiting the Icelandic Phallogical Museum.  It features a number of interesting exhibits that may titillate your fancy in innumerable ways.

--If you’ve been wondering what it would be like to feast on the penis and testicle of animals, consider visiting Guolizhuang Restaurant in the city of Beijing in China. The testicles, supposedly, may impart a large dose of male hormones, which explains why they are not recommended for women and children. As for penis meat, well, it may be rather expensive, especially if your taste extends to exotic or hard-to-find animals.

--Although it may sound unnerving to those persons who are “saving” themselves for that special someone or who live in places where sexual intercourse isn’t allowed or available (prison, monasteries, etc.), the penis does need to be exercised periodically.  Fortunately, for healthy males, this happens automatically during sleep.  During the night men can experience both erections and automatic ejaculations (“wet dreams”).  For persons with certain medical problems (e.g., diabetes, a stroke, cardiovascular disease, etc.) things may become somewhat more complicated when it comes to maintaining a healthy penis. One of the repercussions, for example, may include eventual shortening of the penis. 

--Although most men experience some loss of penile sensitivity, this is rarely a complaint, as opposed to having trouble achieving an erection or being able to ejaculate. Loss of sensitivity is most keenly felt between he ages of 65 and 75 years.

--It turns out that vibrators can also help men achieve an orgasm or ejaculation, especially in the case of men that experienced some type of spinal cord trauma or disease.  Accordingly, don’t assume that vibrators are only useful to women.

--As one might expect, the penis is a thriving ecosystem for a rich variety of bacteria and other types of microorganisms. These organisms exist in a symbiotic relationship with the human body and generally don’t lead to or aid in the development of disease.  In fact, being overly “clean” (such as maybe showering more than once per day) can lead to the nullification of bacteria that can help keep out other dangerous organisms (i.e., fungi) from the male genitalia.

--Contrary to popular opinion, most penises in the world have not been circumcised, in spite of initiatives by medical organizations to push for circumcision in both developed and underdeveloped countries. Most of the males that have been circumcised in the world were circumcised not for medical, but for religious or cultural traditions; in fact, Muslims and Jews account for 70% of all such males. 

--Penises can gradually shrink for a number of reasons:  getting older; smoking; cardiovascular disease; diabetes; not regularly exercising or using the organ; etc. Most of the medical problems that can affect the size of the penis have to do with worsening or compromised circulation.

--Sperm is only a very small component of semen, about 2% to be exact.  Other things found in semen include dihydrogen monoxide (about 95%), vitamin C, fructose, enzymes & proteins, sodium bicarbonate (helps protect sperm from the high acidity inside the vagina), and certain minerals (phosphorus, magnesium, zinc and potassium.

 --The orgasm that males experience is much shorter (and of fewer frequencies) than that experienced by females. Males will climax for about 6 seconds on average while women’s orgasms can go beyond 20 seconds. 

--Supposedly, the human male penis used to have spines a long time ago but lost it due to evolution.  Some animals (e.g., cats), however, do still have spines.  As can be imagined, having a spine or bone made for easier, more-easily-maintained erections. 

--Although bigger and longer isn’t necessary better when it comes to penises, the longer a penis is the better it can send its semen on its way into the female plumbing, thus making it more likely that she will get pregnant--assuming that this is the goal of a sexual encounter.

--Surprisingly, the foreskin of the penis facilitates many more functions than most people realize, as this not-necessarily-complete, 14-item list may help illustrate:

1. Protects a baby’s penile glans from ammonia and fecal matter in diapers
2. Helps to coat the glans with a protective, waxy fluid
3. In order to help develop the mucosal glans’ surface & foreskin, bonds and helps cover the synechia
4. Helps provide an aid to foreplay & masturbation
5. Helps to provide protection to the penis’s glans from abrasion and friction in one’s lifetime
6. Helps to keep the penile glans soft & moisturized with emollient oils
7. Helps to lubricate the glans naturally
8. Provides extra skin covering for an erection by unfolding
9. Helps to serve as a penetration aid
10. Helps to stimulate females as it makes contact with the G-spot in the vagina
11. Helps to reduce chafing & friction while having sex
12. Acts as an erogenous tissue due to all the erogenous receptors therein
13. Helps to protect the penis from injury
14. Helps to hold in place externally-introduced lubrication 

Copyright, 2018.  Fred Fletcher.  All rights reserved.  

REFERENCES & RESOURCES

 https://news.softpedia.com/news/The-Oldest-Penis-52666.shtml

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/320748.php

https://www.webmd.com/men/guide/8-things-you-did-not-know-about-your-penis?print=true

http://www.healthywomen.org/content/article/10-things-you-didnt-know-about-his-penis?context=healthcenter/57

http://www.looptt.com/content/five-things-you-should-know-about-penis

http://www.cirp.org/pages/anat/

http://phallus.is/en/

http://www.odditycentral.com/travel/guolizhuang-beijing-famous-penis-restaurant.html