Search This Blog

Friday, July 1, 2011

Do wrinkled fingers help us grip?

Do wrinkled fingers help us grip?: "'Wet fingers and toes eventually wrinkle, and this is commonly attributed by lay opinion to local osmotic reactions. However, nearly a century ago surgeons observed that no wrinkling occurs if a nerve to the finger has been cut. Here we provide evidence that, rather than being an accidental side effect of wetness, wet-induced wrinkles have been selected to enhance grip in wet conditions.' — From 'Are Wet-Induced Wrinkled Fingers Primate Rain Treads?,' a recently-published paper co-authored by Mark Changizi.


"

No comments:

Post a Comment