Trivia Junction

A Compendium of trivia I find interesting
...for the curious

Why do primates have fingernails?

They serve as mini body armor to protect the tips of our fingers and toes.

Of course, fingernails also come in handy for scratching itchy spots and picking up small objects.

A less obvious, but important function of fingernails is to enhance the sensation in the fingertip.

When we use our fingertips to feel something, the nail acts as a counterforce. It increases the compression of the sensory organs between the pad of the finger and the nail, which makes us better able to distinguish fine detail on the surface we are touching.

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