oneiMar 29

Full network of clitoral nerves mapped out for first time

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2026/mar/29/full-network-clitoral-nerves-mapped-out-first-time-women-pelvic-surgery

Full network of clitoral nerves mapped out for first time

Anatomy of one of least studied human organs could improve outcomes for women who have pelvic surgery

The Guardian
Show threadFraterkesMar 29
Dumb question, why do “sensitive” spots on the body need more nerves? Couldn’t you just have the normal touch-sensing nerves and map signals from specific spots on the body to stronger/pleasurable qualia in the brain?
Show threadyorwbaMar 29
Having more independent samples helps filter out noise. If you had individual sensory neurons with outsized influence, then misfiring of such neurons would also have outsized influence.
Show threadFraterkesMar 29
This makes a lot of sense, thx!
Show threadfuryofantaresMar 29
Sounds plausible at least, but I think the question isn't necessarily making a valid assumption. Why do men have to have nipples? Why is our retina installed backwards? Why do sinuses drain upwards? It's just a path evolution took, it doesn't jump to some optimal design.
Show threadFraterkes
Asking “why” questions about our body / evolution often (not always) gives informative answers. As in the example you gave: https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-purpose-of-ou...
The Purpose of Our Eyes' Strange Wiring Is Unveiled

The reverse-wiring of the eyeball has long been a mystery, but new research shows a remarkable structural purpose: increasing and sharpening our color vision

Scientific American
Mar 29 at 6:08pmWeb
Show threadyorwbaMar 29

Interesting finding, though it doesn't explain animals with properly-wired retinas: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cephalopod_eye

(Scientific American is throwing up a paywall even though they're only republishing https://theconversation.com/look-your-eyes-are-wired-backwar... At least they link to the original.)

Cephalopod eye - Wikipedia