A Backless Human
Spotting a T-shirt that reads “I’ve got your back” might not immediately bring a chuckle until you see the accompanying graphics: two stick figures, where one literally holds the other’s ‘back’ in its stick hands!
But no, a person cannot survive without a back. The “back” in human anatomy refers to the posterior part of the body, especially the vertebral column (spine). This is because it allows us to stand upright and provides a framework for muscles and tissue. It is a crucial part of the central nervous system. Damage or absence of the spine would mean damage or absence of the spinal cord, which is fatal.