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Thought for the day: Fingernails and toenails - what purpose do they serve...


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Fingernails add to the dexterity in your fingers. If you had the same hands without fingernails then the end of all your digits would be bulbous and round, you would find it much harder to pick up small things like small pins and screws. And for music it is useful to have slender finger tips for many instruments, you wouldn't have that without nails.

Try threading a needle with your knuckles instead of your finger tips for a good example of why fingernails are important.

 

As for toenails. Well toes are almost redundant in our world, I think they just help give balance. My only explanation would be speculating that millions of years ago we evolved from a species which had thick toenails which helped for grip or protection..

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On the distaff side, they evolved so that women could varnish them and to provide work for manicurists. They are also useful in catfights.

 

On the male side, they mainly evolved as implements to scratch with or to use as plectrums, or (in the case of toenails) to provide protection before the invention of steel toe-capped boots.

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