Edtharan Posted February 12, 2006 Posted February 12, 2006 I was wondering (for no reson other than sheer curiosity ), what function do finger nails and toe nails have in humans, and what would happen if we didn't have them (eg lost due to an accident)? Would the loss of our finger nails effect our dexterity? WOuld the loss of our toe nails effect our walking? What other effects might the loss of either our toe or finger nails have? Just out of curiosity...
insane_alien Posted February 12, 2006 Posted February 12, 2006 fingers and toes would be squishy. probably be painful doing any thing that put pressure on the tips of fingers and toes. why don't you rip the nails off of a siblings hands and feet and see. i'm joking of course, do it slowly.
Nevermore Posted February 12, 2006 Posted February 12, 2006 Finger nails help us pick up small objects. As for toe nails, they are probably just the evolutionary remnants of claws.
clarisse Posted February 12, 2006 Posted February 12, 2006 Finger nails help us pick up small objects. As for toe nails, they are probably just the evolutionary remnants of claws. And they probably protect our toes... Having to kick something with a toe with no toenail reeeaally hurts
CanadaAotS Posted February 13, 2006 Posted February 13, 2006 er, if you did have an accident and lost your nails, they would just grow back lol I had a hangnail on my big toe that got infected. Eventually the toe nail fell off, by then though the "squishy part" was already starting to get hard. Anyways, like it's already been said, nails are there to help grasping things. I guess if you pick things up with your toes nails would help lol
ecoli Posted February 13, 2006 Posted February 13, 2006 How did Stone-age people trim their nails? same way I do... with my teeth.
JustStuit Posted February 13, 2006 Posted February 13, 2006 Would it be an evolution thing from claws or something? They also would provide more traction when grabbing or climbing. I bet stone age people didn't need to trim their nails because they used them more and wore them down. It's like in herpetology where you either get rough rocks for your lizard or you clip is nails.
Daecon Posted February 13, 2006 Posted February 13, 2006 same way I do... with my teeth. Mmm... crunchy. *drools*
EvoN1020v Posted February 13, 2006 Posted February 13, 2006 I have read somewhere before that fingernails and toenails are very useful, way much better statements than you what you guys said. It is also known that you can determine your blood ABO groups from your fingernails.
EvoN1020v Posted February 13, 2006 Posted February 13, 2006 According to the online encyclopedia, the human and primate nail corresponds to the claw, hoof, or talon of other animals. Human nails protect the tips of the toes and fingers, while fingernails help us pick up small objects and scratch ourselves. On the other hand, the feet of primates are capable of gripping objects, just like their hands, so their toenails have much the same function as fingernails. However, human toenails seem to be an evolutionary leftover. source: http://ask.yahoo.com/20010504.html
JustStuit Posted February 13, 2006 Posted February 13, 2006 I guess my guess was partly right. For once..yay
Sisyphus Posted February 14, 2006 Posted February 14, 2006 It's true about the small objects thing, but I really don't see the protection part. It's the other side of the fingers and toes which actually touch stuff, and I don't cry out in pain every time I take a step or type. It's got to be the claw remnant thing.
EvoN1020v Posted February 14, 2006 Posted February 14, 2006 If the bottom of your finger touch a sharp object, blood will sputter out. If the sharp object touch the fingernail, there would be no blood. (Perhaps just a crushed fingernail, I don't know. )
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