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What are they there for? I can see one use for fingernails and that would be to scratch with. Do you think toenails protect the tips of the toes? Any ideas?

If you're a theist, surely God must have had a reason for inventing toenails and fingernails. And if you're an evolutionist, they'd be there for survival purposes, no?

Look pretty when painted...................

Only in black!

I agree but I hesitate to think that was their original purpose, though it can be viewed as a reproductive advantage.

Ahso!;1351037 wrote: What are they there for? I can see one use for fingernails and that would be to scratch with. Do you think toenails protect the tips of the toes? Any ideas?

If you're a theist, surely God must have had a reason for inventing toenails and fingernails. And if you're an evolutionist, they'd be there for survival purposes, no?I don't see a conflict with theism & evolution. I spose toenails are there as protection, as you suggest. Fingernails are great tools for scratching, peeling, and opening things like macadamia nuts.

I was at work recently and one of the girls there was pulling on a package when the strap broke, her hand was close to her face and the thumb nail struck her eyebrow. There was a nice neat 1cm cut on her eyebrow and a lot of blood.

Finger nails can be weapons and tools for women, like a cats nails. Toe nails? Probably protection and an aid for mobility?

Untying knots, picking my nose and scratching my nuts. All impossible without nails. As for finger nails, well......

Tools they are great tools at least fingernails are. Toenails probably looked very different in the beginning and were tools as well, now they just look good painted.

:yh_rotfl @ Snowfire

Ahso!;1351037 wrote: What are they there for? I can see one use for fingernails and that would be to scratch with. Do you think toenails protect the tips of the toes? Any ideas?

If you're a theist, surely God must have had a reason for inventing toenails and fingernails. And if you're an evolutionist, they'd be there for survival purposes, no?


From an evolutionary point of view they are part of the code that provided claws and talons - great weapons for the carnivores amongst us and digging tools, hooves, etc.

Given that they are part of the common code then what is the best use of them in primates? They're mostly atrophied but still provide useful tools for fine manipulation so are unlikely to disappear completely.

I thought their evolutionary function was as a status symbol. Small rat-like scurrying creatures a hundred million years ago would see a matching set of well-manicured nails and think wow, that's a really neat small rat-like scurrying creature, I wonder whether she'd do lunch one day.

I remember when I was a kid and saw these clouded ugly looking toe nails on my grand mother's feet. Yuck I thought. Now I am of that age and guess what? I have ugly, clouded, fungal infested toe nails. Yes, I have tried all the supposed remedies to no avail. Looks like my only recourse is to paint them. What would be an appropriate color for a male? :-2

Hang on, you might not have tried all of them yet, there's still hope. There's a purple one that's not Iodine that I remember from when boots were boots and socks were thick and fires were open and feet never got warm or dry. I'll see whether I can dig up its name.

They are actually a waste byproduct of the body that can be used to evaluate health as well as providing protection for the fingers and toes. Only God could manage to making human body waste useful like that. :p

For it to be evolutionary wouldn't there be have to have been a time when humans didn't have fingernails?

koan;1351108 wrote: They are actually a waste byproduct of the body that can be used to evaluate health as well as providing protection for the fingers and toes. Even more impressive is the beneficial use that the rhinoceros has made from excessive nose hair.

koan;1351108 wrote: They are actually a waste byproduct of the body that can be used to evaluate health
koan is correct. My podiatrist took, and sent away for analysis, a clipping of my toenail. Mind you, that was a year ago and I've heard nothing since. So I guess I'm not dead yet.

The amount of moon that you have under the nail is an indicator of health, I've been told.

http://www.hps-online.com/nnail.htm

koan;1351108 wrote: They are actually a waste byproduct of the body that can be used to evaluate health as well as providing protection for the fingers and toes. Only God could manage to making human body waste useful like that. :p

For it to be evolutionary wouldn't there be have to have been a time when humans didn't have fingernails?


No, for it to be evolutionary there would have to be a time when a creature in the evolutionary chain leading to humans did not have fingernails and they would have had to be present in some form in each link since they developed.

It's like humans having arms - we were not the first to have them but they are clearly an evolutionary development of the front legs of quadrupeds as they changed their form of locomotion.

I use them often as I file my tax return. Evolution sucks.

Lon;1351092 wrote: I remember when I was a kid and saw these clouded ugly looking toe nails on my grand mother's feet. Yuck I thought. Now I am of that age and guess what? I have ugly, clouded, fungal infested toe nails. Yes, I have tried all the supposed remedies to no avail. Looks like my only recourse is to paint them. What would be an appropriate color for a male? :-2


Well, the colors of your favorite sports franchise or college might work. Or Stars and Stripes if you are patriotic.

Dyed in the wool democrats might go for the blue. (or is that red for Dems? I can never remember.)

You could try matching your eye color.

Accountable;1351138 wrote: Even more impressive is the beneficial use that the rhinoceros has made from excessive nose hair.


Good point.

Wish I could do something with MY nose hair.

koan;1351108 wrote: They are actually a waste byproduct of the body that can be used to evaluate health as well as providing protection for the fingers and toes. Only God could manage to making human body waste useful like that. :p

For it to be evolutionary wouldn't there be have to have been a time when humans didn't have fingernails?


Only really a waste product if we have no use for them.

I think it is fascinating.

Nails (hooves, claws, etc.) and hair (fur) are made from cellular waste. But really, this is re-cycling at its best.

The body takes what might have been waste from some of the body, and turned it into very useful tools.

Toenails are very useful. you can scratch you foot or leg at night without having to make big movements that would disturb your bed mate(s) too much.

Bryn Mawr;1351179 wrote: No, for it to be evolutionary there would have to be a time when a creature in the evolutionary chain leading to humans did not have fingernails and they would have had to be present in some form in each link since they developed.

It's like humans having arms - we were not the first to have them but they are clearly an evolutionary development of the front legs of quadrupeds as they changed their form of locomotion.


ok, sure. but I couldn't think of a prototype finger/toenail that shows a developmental phase. Is there something that has a hint of fingernail potential, not yet fully developed?

koan;1351231 wrote: ok, sure. but I couldn't think of a prototype finger/toenail that shows a developmental phase. Is there something that has a hint of fingernail potential, not yet fully developed?


How far back are you going?

The development of a hard keratin based protective layer at the extrematies goes back hundreds of millions of years and the form of that protection has adapted according to the niche occupied by the wearer.

Looks like they do go back to being talons when not trimmed for long enough.

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