• Question: Why do humans have nails, why doesn't the skin just extend over the nail ?

    Asked by nav1 to Indi, Jarv, John, Ken, Vicky on 14 Mar 2012.
    • Photo: John Prytherch

      John Prytherch answered on 14 Mar 2012:

      So we have something to chew on when we’re nervous!

      Often things that seem strange about our bodies (nails, appendixes) are things that evolved thousands of years ago when we had to worry about other things. So, I guess that a long time ago, it was very useful for pre-humans to have nails (claws for fighting/hunting maybe?) and although we don’t really need them much now they don’t hurt us so we haven’t evolved away from them.

    • Photo: Vicky Young

      Vicky Young answered on 14 Mar 2012:

      Nails have a few purposes. Finger nails are needed to protect the fingertip, and the surrounding soft tissues from injuries. They actually enhances small delicate movements of the fingers and can enhancing the sensitivity of the fingertip. Finger nails also functions as a tool and allow us to pull out a splinter and other tasks.

      They originally evolved form claws and are still made in the same way.

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