Scientists reveal why humans have thumbs

Researchers in Geneva have found out why a human hand consists of four fingers and a thumb, rather than five fingers.

The discovery is an important step towards understanding how humans evolved and could help explain why some people are born with malformed digits.

LINK >>

1 in 500 kids are born with an extra finger or fused fingers? Wow, I never knew that. Ive never met someone with 11 fingers.

Interesting article, thumbs up for you, Nans. *no pun intended

[edit on 13-6-2004 by JustAnIllusion]

I have a friend who told me that we should have six fingers, like panda's...
(He is chinese...)

Why pandas have six fingers ?

I once met someone who used to an extra finger. He had it chopped off at birth.

Originally posted by JustAnIllusion
1 in 500 kids are born with an extra finger or fused fingers?
[edit on 13-6-2004 by JustAnIllusion]

Inbreeding.

But seriously, I love how they illustrate it with a remote control.

Didn't we learn about this in grade school? So we could hang from trees when we were apes.

I don't neccessarily believe in the evolutionary chart, but I think that we would have needed thumbs just as much as apes and certain other mammals back in the day. And we certainly need them now. The space bar for example. I personaly use my fingers "Cable Guy" style when surfing with the remote. But how many Coka-Colas would I have spilled if not for my opposing thumb.

I just can't believe that this is where my tax dollars go.

Stem call research has been bannished so we can figure out the thumb. What is wrong with us?

Devolution.

Soon we won't need a thumb at all, just a jack in the back of our heads so we can manipulate our robots. And possibly a bag on our hips.

Wow two Reservoir Dogs references in one day.



Nutzo

Maybe eventually they will be able to genetically modify humans so that two opposable thumbs exist. Then we could squeeze stuff really tightly. It could be for a super soldier or something.

We, as humans, are still evolving.

We have known for some time that thumbs are the new forefinger for the younger generation. The use of mobile phones for texting has caused the thumb to become more dominant than the forefinger in a lot of young people. They even use their thumbs for pointing, something commonplace now, but not seen a generation ago.

See link

observer.guardian.co.uk...

So, Jamuhn, your suggestion of two opposible thumbs could easily happen.

The hanging from trees and grabbing things arguments are kinda dull imho.

3 toed slorfs don't have a thumb to have a circle grip with and I think its safe to say they are pritty much the absolute masters in climbing and hanging in trees, even sleeping they do hanging in trees, upside down even.

Then grabbing stuff doesn't require a thumb per s�. you can grab whatever you want using just your 4 other fingers, not as firmly as with the thumb, but in evolution the firmness of the grip could have been solved differently then with a thumb too.

And last, not only primates and humans have and use thumbs. Mamals, reptiles and birds all have thumbs in one form or another.

A lot of birds have a grip a load stronger then any human being even, like this a hawk can even pierce its nails trough a turtle shell by its sheer grip.

The flexibility and strength of the hand/wrist has even less to do with the thumb. Birds generaly have very litle wrist movement capability and strong grips, so do lizards.

Yes, I have a pair of antenas growing up under my ears !

[edit on 13-6-2004 by Nans DESMICHELS]

[edit on 13-6-2004 by Nans DESMICHELS]

Originally posted by Nans DESMICHELS
Yes, I have a pair of antenas growing up under my ears !

Yeah, I got that too every few days, but then I shave :p

Originally posted by iwouldificould
We, as humans, are still evolving.

We have known for some time that thumbs are the new forefinger for the younger generation. The use of mobile phones for texting has caused the thumb to become more dominant than the forefinger in a lot of young people. They even use their thumbs for pointing, something commonplace now, but not seen a generation ago.

Those crazy kids.

What'll they think of next , using their pinky finger to hitch a ride?

I'm still stuck on Pong, blip, blip, blip. Remember those "Joysticks"? And what about the rotary phone? Now they can just use their thumbs.

Who'da ever thunk it?


Nutzo

Originally posted by nutzobalzo

Originally posted by JustAnIllusion
1 in 500 kids are born with an extra finger or fused fingers?
[edit on 13-6-2004 by JustAnIllusion]

Inbreeding.

Actually, polydactyly is a dominant genetic trait.