No Stupid Questions

473 readers

1 users here now

This community is for people to ask questions they feel stupid for not knowing the answer or how to find the answer. "How do I not already know this?"

founded 2 years ago

MODERATORS

[email protected]

Why do humans have finger/toenails? (lemm.ee)

submitted 3 weeks ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

23 comments fedilink hide all child comments

They seem like one more bodily detail to tend to without much benefit, and sometimes more detriment (breaking a nail or scratching oneself up, ouch!).

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments

[–] [email protected] 15 points 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (1 children)

Every other mammal has finger/toenails, most of them make very good use of it, others not that much (e.g. elephant toenails look pretty useless). Organisms don't necessarily keep inherited traits because they're useful, but because they're not very detrimental.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 weeks ago

as a person with burned fingers and having lost two nails:

you absolutely need:

the feeling in your fingertips and nails

if you want to pick up or manipulate finicky things.

i cant pick up coins with my left hand, when i am at the supermarked check out.

i lost the nail at the thumb, the thumb is very important for digit function