Scientists have found that the wrinkled prune-like finger tips we get when we have been in the water for a while, could be from early humans evolving to be better suited for living in wet areas. The wrinkled tips of toes and fingers helps to grip smooth wet surfaces. The wrinkles actually make us 12 percent quicker than if our feet were smooth. A group did an experiment to see which people could move quicker using wet and dry marbles.
The dry ones were able to be transferred faster, but the people with the wrinkly pruned fingers could move the wet ones fast. They think the wrinkles could have helped early humans to gather food from places with wet vegetation. You may wonder why fingers are not permanently then. Scientists don't know for sure but they think it could be because they would get injured easier, and it may effect the sense of touch.
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http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/15/science/wrinkled-fingers-get-better-grip-on-wet-objects.html?ref=biologyandbiochemistry&_r=0
I also read in another article that toes wrinkled up so that our human ancestors could move quicker in the rain and wet areas as well. Also, scientists believe that we do not have permanently wrinkled fingers so that we do not lose our sensitivity in out fingertips.
ReplyDeletehttp://scitechdaily.com/wrinkly-fingers-evolved-to-grasp-wet-objects/
This is a fascinating hypothesis... before, I always thought that it wasn't an evolutionary trait at all. I thought that human skin was selected for and made a part of our DNA for various reasons. It just so happens that the wrinkled skin happens because it grows when soaked in water.
ReplyDeleteHowever, this makes a lot of sense. After all, does chimpanzee skin wrinkle when wet? Is there any other animal whose skin wrinkles when wet?
Also, if you ever look at your skin when wrinkled, it is much softer and easily cut than when it is dry and tight on the body. That could make you much more susceptible to diseases or injury.