9 things you probably didn't know about your penis

Let’s face it, more than half of the male population out there has some name or other for their penis. Whatever it may be, the evolution of the human race has depended on a man's ability to get an erection. That being said, the penis is very unpredictable and has often let men, in the prim of their youth, down at the most ill opportune of moments.

What more, you can actually break your penis - think shattered urethras and torn muscles - enough to make the burliest man wince.

Here's 9 things you may not have known about your penis.

You're born with an erection: You may have thought this ability is something that develops when you have hit puberty but the fact is many penises are born ready. In fact, even before birth some ultrasounds have picked up a fully formed erection, according to Medical News Today.

A study conducted in 1991 found foetal erections occur the most during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep and they can happen several times an hour.

The penis is twice as long as you think: Yes, you heard it right, the manhood is double the size you think. The erectile tissue that form the penis extend right into your body - about half of its entire length to be precise.

You can't control when you ejaculate: Unfortunately boys, no matter how hard you try you can't stop yourself from ejaculating. There have been studies to suggest that thinking about something else can delay the grand finale, but the part of your body that controls your orgasm is actually in your spine. The spinal cord is called the spinal ejaculation generator that controls your nervous system when stimulated, which results in ejaculation. Studies are currently underway to see if stimulating this region can help provide a cure for premature ejaculation.

Your shoe size is not your penis length: A study published in BJU International found that there is no correlation between foot size and penis length. Another study, published in the International Journal of Impotence Research, found "penile dimensions are significantly correlated with age, height, and index finger length".

Standing to attention: Most men get erections for about three to five times a night when they are sleeping. It all goes back to REM sleep, which seems to stimulate the erectile tissue. Theoretically it stops you wetting the bed, because having a full bladder stimulates nerves in a similar region to the nerves involved in getting it up, and an erection inhibits your ability to wee.

You may get an erection, evey after death: Sometimes you can get it up one final time even once you've passed on. It most commonly occurs in men who have died from hanging or head trauma. Scientists believe it's caused by pressure on the part of the brain responsible for erections.

Penis is breakable: It often happens during very passionate sex and occurs when the covering of the erectile muscles ruptures - a word no man has ever wanted to hear while getting frisky. It is caused by rapid blunt force to an erect penis.

This typically occurs during vaginal intercourse, or aggressive masturbation. There are several dangerous positions to put your manhood in, think doggy style and cowgirl, and it's painful enough to put a halt on all proceedings for some time.

Erection is always angular: Studies have suggested that the angle your member dangles at determines the way it points when it stands to attention. And it can point up, to the left, to the right and even down - it's all totally normal.

Size doesn't matter: A study of more than 200 men has previously found that there is no relationship between the length of a flaccid penis and the length when it's erect. Some men do grow to be a bigger size when they are turned on but it's perfectly normal if yours remains the same length. There is no normal size.