Does anyone know why our fingers are all different lengths?

Question

not quite sure why i even thought about this but there you go.

Answer 1

If our fingers were the same length, our hands wouldn't be such flexible tools. When we hold a spherical object like an orange in the palm of our hand, the fingers actually curve around evenly, giving us a firm grip. Tapering fingers (and strong thumbs) allowed early humans to use specially-shaped stones to smash, scrape and cut other objects. (A long pinky finger would be more likely to get caught and squashed itself.) Besides precision grips, our different-length fingers also provide a balanced support for crawling or leaning on our hands.

Answer 2

I think our hands evolved for grasping branches but have since become useful for far more. Every finger has its specialized use. The fingers can work independently or by themselves. The index finger closest to the thumb is the one you use for grabbing small things. The next finger is probably larger and longer so that it aids in holding. The next finger seems to be more like a associate of the other. This little piggy may be smaller to dig into small holes. I don't know, good question.

Answer 3

Hands are useful for grasping—hanging onto a tree limb (or hanging onto a ladder), picking berries (or picking up groceries), throwing a clod of dirt (or throwing a baseball). If our fingers were the same length, our hands wouldn't be such flexible tools. When we hold a spherical object like an orange in the palm of our hand, the fingers actually curve around evenly, giving us a firm grip. Tapering fingers (and strong thumbs) allowed early humans to use specially-shaped stones to smash, scrape and cut other objects. (A long pinky finger would be more likely to get caught and squashed itself.) Besides precision grips, our different-length fingers also provide a balanced support for crawling or leaning on our hands.
Thumbs have only one middle joint, rather than the two joints found on the four regular fingers. The four longer fingers can curl further around an object, while powerful muscles allow the thumb to "lock in" the grip, vise-like. Human opposable thumbs are, compared to those of other primates, bigger and stronger. A chimp can pick up a peanut from the ground, but can't open a tightened lid on a jar of peanut butter. Our own powerful thumbs seem to have evolved in tandem with our tool-making skills.
Among individuals in each primate species, finger and thumbs vary, too. Compare your hands to those of your friends, and you'll see subtle and not-so-subtle differences. Boys and men often have longer ring than index fingers. Girls and women tend to have similar-length ring and index fingers, or shorter ring fingers. Scientists say the differences are due to the influence of the hormones estrogen and testosterone in the womb.
One study found that male physicists, chemists, and mathematicians had ring and index fingers about equal in length, while male economists and social scientists had longer ring fingers. Another study found that men with substantially shorter index than ring fingers tended to be more physically aggressive than others.

Answer 4

Well, when you sleep the Digital Fairy Department conduct surveys on fingerprinting. This involves measuring and neurological testing. I guess some are rougher than others and some fingers get a little stretched. I'll have a word and see what i can do.

Answer 5

I see no one mentioned prenatal androgen's, or the lack there of, in determining finger length and the variation between the sexes. Type " finger length " into your address bar.

Answer 6

Because thats the way they evolved over time. Structural development in appendages is a complicated process anyway. Signaling molecules tell cells to form different structures and cell types, and thats the way the genes/signaling proteins "tell" the fingers to be.

Answer 7

They all become the same length when the tips meet the thumb, for gripping and manipulating.

Answer 8

The grasping spherical objects and branches sounds right. Same goes for our toes i suppose.

Answer 9

Why is it when we bend our fingers into our palm they all hit evenly? Now i am staring at my hands :0

Answer 10

Because they wouldnt fit in gloves otherwise