INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT OUR HANDS

Everything you need to know about your bare 

“God has given us two hands, one to receive with and the other to give with. You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist. A man who works with his hands is a laborer; a man who works with his hands and his brain is a craftsman; but a man who works with his hands and his brain and his heart is an artist.”

https://millennialacademia.blogspot.com/

Article By Fathima Amreen Rose

Editor

Why do I have 10 Fingers?

Scientists have several ideas why humans can high-five each other instead of, say, high- four or high-six. One theory suggests four fingers and a thumb on each hand are the per- fect number and length to grip objects firmly.

(Another study suggests we can grasp most things with just our thumb and index finger if necessary; the other four fingers are spares) The process of evolution determined the most beneficial number of fingers and toes for our survival. Pandas, after all, have thumblike digits to help them grasp bamboo shoots, while some birds have quadruple digits for perching and tucking away during flight. Occasionally, babies are born with extra fingers and toes (a condition known as polydactyly), but those additional digits have never offered enough of an edge to survive to later generations. In other words, evolution determined that five fingers per hand are just right for humans.

Why do I have thumbs?

Having no thumbs would make you all thumbs, fumbling to tie your shoes or assemble a ham- burger. (Don't believe us? Tape one of your thumbs against the side of your hand and see how hard life becomes.) We inherited a fully "opposable" thumb- named for its ability to close tip-to-tip against our other fingers-from our primate ancestors around two million years ago. These ancient relatives needed handier hands to help get a grip on simple tools. So give a thumbs up to your thumbs They're the mains reasons you can text with one hand and build a burger without fumbling the bun.

Why do I have fingerprints?

Those whirls, swirls, loops, and arches on your fingertips (and toes, in case you didn't know) are unique to youeven if you have an identical twin-and they remain unchanged throughout your entire life. In fact, the faint ridges known as fingerprints form before you're even born. Fluids in the womb put pressure on your developing digits, which, combined with your rate of growth and genetic makeup, create one-of-a-kind designs.

Okay, but WHY do I have fingerprints?

Ah, you want to know the point of those fingertip designs (well, besides incriminating crooks who forget to wear gloves). Scientists have put forth all sorts of possible reasons. Fingerprints might magnify the hand's ability to detect vibrations, for example, or improve our sense of touch. They also might work like tire treads to help us grip objects. Speaking of which...

Why do my fingers wrinkle when I've been swimming?

You might think that playing in the pool or soaking in the tub makes your fingertips and toes waterlogged and soggy. Not so! The prune effect is caused by blood vessels shrinking just below the skin an automatic reaction triggered by your nervous system when it senses long exposure to waler. Scientists think people evolved this reaction to improve their qrip and traction in wet environ ments. After all, pruny fngers make it casier to snag slippery fish

Why CAN I POP MY KNUCKLES?

When you move or bend you fingers, you occacionally squeeze tiny air bubbles that form in the protective fluid around your body's joints, Those pop ping bubbles Create an audible crack

DO other animals have thumbs besides us?

Lots of them, although the exact number depends on your definition of "thumbs." Apes and many monkeys have opposable thumbs just like us, while smaller primates, pandas, and koalas have thumblike digits and claws that help them grip plants and prey.

By Fathima Amreen Rose

https://millennialacademia.blogspot.com/