Awake to long and thinking....

I was just sitting here and thinking WHY do we have fingernails and toenails? When is the last time our species actually used them for something on an instinctual or constant basis? I believe they should have just stopped growing by now because the only thing we use them for is itching which is usually bad.
I think we just evolved from something that used them and now we just have them for women to paint other than that they are useless. Anyone else agree?

one of those things that keep you up at night huh LOL

Well they are good for popping tops on soda cans.

they also make a tasty snack between meals and during boring meetings or school. Don't forget the fine art of the back-scratch. I would not know how to survive if my wife didn't have nails. they are heavenly after a long day at work

-Doc

Think of it this way... Are finger nails detrimental to our reproduction in some way? What you think are useless traits won't disappear unless something about them puts you at a disadvantage when it comes to reproducing. Meaning, those who have fingernails won't be as effective at reproducing, so the number of people with fingernails will shrink until that trait eventually disappears from the gene pool and no one has fingernails.

Having fingernails does not seem to incur a reproductive advantage, nor does it incur a disadvantage. Neutral traits such as these don't disappear, they just stick around because they are not impacting your ability to reproduce and pass that trait on.

Look at it this way. If there was a hereditary disease that killed 99% of the infected as children, this disease would disappear really quickly because it would impossible to pass it on. If there is a disease that doesn't harm one's ability to reproduce (like near sightedness), then that disease (or trait) will stay in the population.

PS -- I have a bachelor's degree in evolutionary biology.

Hey im glad i have fingernails when i have a bad itch somewhere. You know, those itches that come out of no where for a few seconds but they torture you more than anything in the world...sure am glad i have nails during that time...

Im also glad i have nails to scrape things off...honestly, i think its one of those things we dont notice and take for granted but would be extremely uncomfortable without...

i agree cthegame i was gonna say almost exacly but was to lazy too wite all that

Yeah no doubt think about every time you hit something with the tip of your finger and didnt have something hard other than bone to stop it or if you try and pick up something heavy and didnt have the nail to stop the skin from rolling up the tip of your finger, if you have ever lost a fingernail due to trama youll understand. If you havent you'll take them for granted until you lose one.

Wow. I think this is probably the weirdest thread ever.

AGH!!!!!!!! made my skin hurt OW OW OW