Okay so I was wondering if because of evolution most animals have "hairless" paws/hands, for humans, why don't we have essentially "hairless" arms/legs because of the clothing rubbing against it constantly? I feel like I sound rude but I am simply trying to quench my thirst for knowledge. Also, in love with your blog! <3
NOW, DON'T QUOTE ME ON THIS, BECAUSE I'M NOT 100% SURE, BUT IF I HAD TO VENTURE A GUESS, I WOULD SAY THAT IT'S BECAUSE THE EVOLUTIONARY TENDENCY TOWARDS HAIRLESS HANDS, FEET, AND PAWS IS NOT CAUSED BY FRICTION.
FOR EXAMPLE, I'M PRETTY SURE CATS AND DOGS HAVE HAIRLESS PAW-PADS SO THEY CAN HAVE SOME TRACTION AGAINST THE GROUND. IF A PRIMATE, FOR EXAMPLE A CHIMPANZEE OR A HUMAN BEING, HAD HAIR ON OUR PALMS AND THE PADS OF OUR FINGERS, IT WOULD BE A HELL OF A LOT HARDER TO USE THEM AS MANIPULATION TOOLS. WE WOULDN'T BE ABLE TO HOLD ONTO SMOOTH THINGS, OUR HAND-HAIRS WOULD GET CAUGHT ON ROUGH THINGS, AND WE'D HAVE TROUBLE FEELING STUFF THROUGH THE HAIRS. I'D GUESS THAT THIS IS ALSO WHY OPOSSUMS HAVE HAIRLESS TAILS.
ALSO, CAN YOU IMAGINE HOW HELLISH LIFE WOULD BE FOR AN ANIMAL WHO HAD TO RUN AROUND WITH HAIR GROWING FROM THE SOLES OF THEIR FEET? THINK OF HOW MANY THINGS THOSE HAIRS WOULD GET CAUGHT ON, OR STUCK IN, OR SLIP AGAINST!
HAIR, ON THE OTHER HAND, GENERALLY SERVES AS AN INSULATOR TO KEEP YOU WARM. YOU RARELY NEED TO GRIP THINGS OR FEEL THINGS WITH, FOR EXAMPLE, YOUR OUTER THIGH, AND YOU LIKELY DON'T WALK ON THAT PART OF YOUR BODY, BUT IF YOU WERE WALKING AROUND NAKED, WHICH IS THE NATURAL STATE OF A HUMAN BEING, A LOT OF HEAT WOULD ESCAPE THROUGH THERE, AND HAIR WOULD SLOW THAT PROCESS.
I WOULD TALK TO SOMEONE WHO'S A LITTLE MORE VERSED IN BIOLOGICAL STUFF ABOUT THIS, SO I'M GOING TO TAG MY GOOD FRIEND IN THIS POST AND HOPE THAT SHE HAS SOME INSIGHT. THIS IS JUST MY BEST GUESS, BUT I'M SURE SOMEONE IS READING WHO WOULD KNOW FOR SURE AND CAN GIVE YOU A BETTER ANSWER!
