Musing of the Day

[keyboardninja]

What are toe nails for?

Finger nails are for digging and getting into nooks and crannies, and to a lesser extent defense. I assume toe nails were for the same back when we were monkeys and had usable feet. If so, why haven't they been bred out by evolution?

Comments

[gausshawk]

"Shave and a hair cut" to a biologist. By the way, we were never monkeys, but had close ancestors with chimps, a type of ape. Apes don't have tails, among other traits of bodily structure. That happens to be one of the most obvious, though, and so a nice starting place for differences, but back to the question

[keyboardninja]

So what you're saying is that changes in evolution are sparked by the environment, and there have been no environmental catalysts to promote this particular change?

Thanks for the answer.

[drgnsyr]

Changes in evolution are sparked by either one thing killing people off or something else making you more likely to survive/breed. As long as toe nails aren't inhibiting people's ability to attract women or survive to a breedable age nor are people with out toenails surviving longer or breeding more - we'll never be rid of them.

[keyboardninja]

So I need to start ripping peoples toe nails off and then killing the people I don't do that to...

[fallenalbatross]

I think they protect the toe somewhat. I've ripped my toenails off a few times, so I can say that it's better to have the nail than to not have it.

They also make toes look less weird.

Furthermore, they help create jobs. Think of all those poor people who would be out of work with no pedicures or ingrown toenails.

[shadows_harem]

I was going to bring up comment #3, but I was beaten to it ;)
Toenails are there so girls can look cute after getting a pedicure

[katie_did84]

Silly question. Toenails exist so girls can get pedicures and paint them and make their feet look pretty.

[greensilk]

Should you not be studying? This strikes me as a delay tactic to avoid accounting stuff...

[keyboardninja]

I probably should be, but I'm not.

[perpetuallysad]

Toenails allow one to walk. They actually serve the same functional purpose as fingernails. They add a hard backing to make applying pressure on the base more effective.

[keyboardninja]

I'm pretty sure the digit bone does that. It might be extra support, though.