Now that you know why human fingers aren't all the same length check out this video and find out Does Hand and Foot Size Really Correlate with Penile Length?: th-cam.com/video/F5ddAnCQI_M/w-d-xo.html
As always, another fascinating video providing answers to a question I'd not thought to ask. I curl my fingers into a perfectly structured fist & marvel at evolution... Thanks Simon & the Today I Found Out team.
why do most humans who get wisdom teeth not have space in their mouths for them? what is that about? if we evolved to not have space for them anymore why do we still get them, why wasn't that "evolved away" so to speak
nancy v I think the thing that kept it from evolving away is that most people lost a couple teeth by then, keeping them from impacting, still no useful though
Not an expert on the matter, but I assume that, much like other such superfluous things on our bodies (like the muscles that allow us to move our ears, which most of us can't even use, or the "third eyelid" remnant on our eyes), it's a leftover from our evolution that hasn't completely faded out, which explains why some people still have it, others don't. Seeing that evolution is a long and convoluted process, it can take literally millions of years for a genetic characteristic to disappear completely (and the human being is not that old to begin with), especially if that characteristic is secondary to survival. Opposing thumbs had a profound impact on survibability, so they were quickly preferred. A few non-visible superfluous extra teeth are neither here nor there when it comes to increasing or decreasing your survival chances, so natural selection takes a much longer time to weed them out. I'm just mostly guessing here, though, so that might not be the correct answer, btw.
nancy v it's not enough of a crippling feature to where it would be a big setback and cause people with wisdom teeth to go extinct, especially since for a while now we've surgically remove them. I also agree with the other dude that in the past people would lose their teeth a lot and so there was prolly more room, but idk I'm not a dentist or an evolutionist just a stoner
nancy v, the ability to remove wisdom teeth has allowed us to overcome that evolutionary setback. We haven't experienced enough evolutionary pressure for the teeth to disappear. We are seeing a slow transition, with fewer people having wisdom teeth. Remember, every species is transitional, we're not done evolving. Similarly, if we didn't develop the technology to overcome myopia (eyeglasses), then it would be less prevalent.
Please provide *English captions*, I need to turn my volume up everytime I watch your videos and I keep forgetting and only realize when I watch another video on youtube with my speakers producing sound as loud as a metal concert. Thanks
NovaDoll no it isn't loud. But to be fair, there are many others that are not loud either. And then there are other channels that are very loud and I have to crank the volume from max to half way while startled by the high volume. Not sure how some channels are loud while others I have on max and have to still put up to my ear. But I have just though of a good idea, I will make a suggestion to youtube themselves to make all channels the same high level of volume. They have the technology, many devices music players have the option to play all music tracks at the same volume level for instance. That way all channels will be the same level so no one has to keep adjusting their volume. Also for those that have speakers that are cheap or stock, or on expensive devices that are waterproofed for example, which reduces the volume of the devices speaker. Then everyone can be happy, a win win.
Ignatius make a suggestion to youtube themselves to have all channels at the same high level of volume, I will as well. That way all channels will be the same and we won't have to adjust the volume going to different channels. And then we won't have to use amplified external speakers for those who watch with a device that doesn't have loud enough speakers due to being waterproof for example.
I see a button that says "CC" (which is short for Closed Captioning) on this video, perhaps it is on others as well. When i clicked it, the "CC" on the button got underlined and there were subtitles :)
I was watching another video earlier, and a thought entered my mind: How do companies decide what a serving size is for the purposes of nutritional information? Might be a neat topic to discuss in a video! Keep up the good work.
Another wonderful question answered. Simon, I hope your health is OK. I've never seen you so jittery; I got a little motion sickness & anxiety watching you in this vid. Wishing you wellness.
...GOOD SHOW, Simon ...I have pondered this 'anomaly' for years without specific cause in repose. You have 'single-handedly' enlightened me ...Thank you
I once read in an article of Scientific American that our faces were influenced by the ability to take a punch, further entwining the evolution of the hand with the evolution of the face.
I wonder if our ancestors developed the big thumbs in a similar way to polydactyl cats, at first. Some of them still have the smaller original thumb as well as the big one, on one of both hands.
I think that the idea of the hand evolving alongside the progression of tools is an interesting theory. I just have one critique of this. Why would the strength within the actual finger tendons not atrophy? We still have relatively strong fingers, despite us developing tools to accomplish most difficult tasks. Any thoughts on this?
Two things I can think of. First we have these good tools from a few thousand years ago, but evolution takes a lot more time than that. Second evolution is somewhat random plus these better hands still gave enough advantage to be desirable and not fall out like our tails for example.
I think it has something to do with advances in technology being exponential while human evolution is more linear. The advancement of the tools we use is increasing faster than our body can adapt.
I think the point about there not being enough time to evolve is probably a fair answer. Phillip' point makes me wonder how technology will shift the physical appearance of humans. Will certain characteristics increase fitness by making the bearer excel at the various aspects of technology? E-sports is what first comes to mind. Individuals can become rich and famous through a method that has never before existed.
Well consider this: An ape can hang onto a branch for long periods of time... A human can hold onto tools that do require more significant hand strength, yet an ape can barely hold on to a branch without dropping it.
Humans, as a species, sorta' suck. We can't run that fast or jump that high, and we ain't that strong - comparatively speaking. But what we do have are two things that no other species has: a big, adaptable brain and opposable thumbs. Plus booze. No other species has been able to produce a fine malt whiskey or a good cold beer. So, we win. Hands/thumbs down.
I agree with your statement that in long distance running humans do seem to have an advantage. But most predator/prey interactions occur within a few yards. Short bursts of speed are critical. So my contention still stands because most predatory actions do not occur over "4 dozen miles". But I get your point that humans are pretty good at long distance travel. I agree. My point was in that in a close range,tooth to claw combat, humans end up on the short side. Ergo, the reliance on our brains and hands to overcome our shortcuts. P.S. Thanks for the thoughtful reply.
There are some tribes in Africa that still practice persistence hunting. They actually pursue an animal until it collapses from exhaustion/dehydration. I remember watching a documentary about it and couldn't stop laughing. That explains all those Kenyan marathon runners. Hehehe
xkopp375 If your only reason why humans suck is because we are not fast we can't jump high and ain't strong then we are TONS of different animals that are a lot worse than human also humans can be quiet strong fast and jump high to, humans were meant to be in the wild running around in the wild not sitting at a desk
Before this video I had never thought about this question. Before I hit play I realized when you close your fist your fingers align. I thought, well there's the answer. But he had so much more to say. Good stuff.
This makes a lot of sense. We are told today that the safest way to strike with a hand is to use the palm rather than a balled fist (which is more vulnerable to breaking bones). However, a clenched fist is an instinctive reaction when a human is faced with violent threats.
Positioning of the thumb can also increase the strength of one's wrist. If you put your fist in a vertical position and place the thumb overtop the index finger while bending it you can make your wrist more rigid making it less likely to shift when punching.
Somebody got a little too much sun recently. Simon, you need a good hat! Also, I'm pleased to see your channel is gaining some real traction and is about to hit 900K subscribers.
I thought this video was going to mention the ratio of pointer to ring finger length. I heard it's influenced by testosterone levels experienced in utero and thought to be linked to personality traits. If you haven't already, you should make a video on that.
The human body is fascinating. Your hands, if trained consistently and for a long time can get REALLY fucking strong. As with every other muscle of course, but the hands are so neat.
Simon,will you do a video about whether or not a person or company knows when you are using your cell phone? I don't get phone calls all day until I start watching videos or using the phone for other things.
*Hey Hello How Are You..Well ＴＯＤＡＹ Ｉ ＦＯＵＮＤ ＯＵＴ That This Channel Is Available To All Humans Which I Subscribed To It Because Of The Amazing Work Congrats!! I Have A Question For You..What Do You Use To Record Those Flawless 1080p60fps Videos?*
All parts of the body follow the phi ratio and are self proportional to the whole of the body. The lengths of each finger are the sum of the joint segments, and each segment is the phi ratio of the two above segments summed. It's actually quite beautiful and fascinating.
I just noticed that my middle finger is longer because of the first knuckle, which makes it stick out further when making a fist. This gives a sharp edge to the fist.
Supporting the 'Fist' theory: The moment humans are born, they know how, and frequently do make fists. A crying infant more often than not has its hands in fists, though I would suspect this to be more for want of grabbing and grappling than for hitting.
Talking about making a fist being a factor, I think I've seen a video about the evolution of human facial bones/structure becoming more adept to taking a right hook.
There was a sicshow episdoe that was pretty similar. I think it was called 'the anatomy of getting punched in the face' or something of that nature, which went into the evolution of the human skull alongside the human hand. I.e. getting punched in the face is why our bones (in our face) are arranged the way they are.
before even watching the video. I have realized that when you close your fist your finger tips are all pretty even, at least much closer than when your fingers are extended. I figuring grip has a pretty big importance as to why your fingers arent all the same length. of course this is just based on my own hands but Im assuming this is the case for (almost) everyone.
sci show had an episode about how our faces likely evolved. one of the points is that it is structured in a way to be able to take front on blows..... from fists. we literally evolved some traits because humans are violent towards one another so often it became a biological feature.
I don't think he actually explained that well why fingers are different lengths, just how we got the fingers we did and how long it took to get those fingers as well as the difference between our fingers and a primate's fingers.
Now that you know why human fingers aren't all the same length check out this video and find out Does Hand and Foot Size Really Correlate with Penile Length?:
th-cam.com/video/F5ddAnCQI_M/w-d-xo.html
Mine are all the same length, I hate table saws....
This channel continuously has answered questions I wanted the answers of, without even knowing I wanted them answered.
Thanks!
Well this information is handy.
That's 5 dollars in the pun jar
Hahaha u got jokes................ (Being Sarcastic)
because we need middle fingers and pinky promises :3
Gay
The longs ones are for shoving up bitches cunts
The fuck they didn't! Good job CLM!!!
Cam Good 😂
And thumbs up
me: "hey wanna know why our fingers are different lengths?" some other dude:"umm sure"
me *punches him in the face* "thats why"
As always, another fascinating video providing answers to a question I'd not thought to ask. I curl my fingers into a perfectly structured fist & marvel at evolution...
Thanks Simon & the Today I Found Out team.
that is the reason why the internet is not meant for compliments
eatmyskids you are the reason I love TH-cam, thank you.
nuuuuuuuuuuu y u delete it
why do most humans who get wisdom teeth not have space in their mouths for them? what is that about?
if we evolved to not have space for them anymore why do we still get them, why wasn't that "evolved away" so to speak
nancy v I think the thing that kept it from evolving away is that most people lost a couple teeth by then, keeping them from impacting, still no useful though
wisdom teeth aren't a big factor in reproducing so they just stay as they are i guess
Not an expert on the matter, but I assume that, much like other such superfluous things on our bodies (like the muscles that allow us to move our ears, which most of us can't even use, or the "third eyelid" remnant on our eyes), it's a leftover from our evolution that hasn't completely faded out, which explains why some people still have it, others don't.
Seeing that evolution is a long and convoluted process, it can take literally millions of years for a genetic characteristic to disappear completely (and the human being is not that old to begin with), especially if that characteristic is secondary to survival. Opposing thumbs had a profound impact on survibability, so they were quickly preferred. A few non-visible superfluous extra teeth are neither here nor there when it comes to increasing or decreasing your survival chances, so natural selection takes a much longer time to weed them out.
I'm just mostly guessing here, though, so that might not be the correct answer, btw.
nancy v it's not enough of a crippling feature to where it would be a big setback and cause people with wisdom teeth to go extinct, especially since for a while now we've surgically remove them. I also agree with the other dude that in the past people would lose their teeth a lot and so there was prolly more room, but idk I'm not a dentist or an evolutionist just a stoner
nancy v, the ability to remove wisdom teeth has allowed us to overcome that evolutionary setback. We haven't experienced enough evolutionary pressure for the teeth to disappear. We are seeing a slow transition, with fewer people having wisdom teeth. Remember, every species is transitional, we're not done evolving.
Similarly, if we didn't develop the technology to overcome myopia (eyeglasses), then it would be less prevalent.
So we can play the F chord.
Please provide *English captions*, I need to turn my volume up everytime I watch your videos and I keep forgetting and only realize when I watch another video on youtube with my speakers producing sound as loud as a metal concert.
Thanks
Or simply edit your voice to be louder.
Ignatius you have bad speakers. His video is pretty loud.
NovaDoll no it isn't loud. But to be fair, there are many others that are not loud either. And then there are other channels that are very loud and I have to crank the volume from max to half way while startled by the high volume. Not sure how some channels are loud while others I have on max and have to still put up to my ear. But I have just though of a good idea, I will make a suggestion to youtube themselves to make all channels the same high level of volume. They have the technology, many devices music players have the option to play all music tracks at the same volume level for instance. That way all channels will be the same level so no one has to keep adjusting their volume. Also for those that have speakers that are cheap or stock, or on expensive devices that are waterproofed for example, which reduces the volume of the devices speaker. Then everyone can be happy, a win win.
Ignatius make a suggestion to youtube themselves to have all channels at the same high level of volume, I will as well. That way all channels will be the same and we won't have to adjust the volume going to different channels. And then we won't have to use amplified external speakers for those who watch with a device that doesn't have loud enough speakers due to being waterproof for example.
I see a button that says "CC" (which is short for Closed Captioning) on this video, perhaps it is on others as well. When i clicked it, the "CC" on the button got underlined and there were subtitles :)
One of the most interesting video so far. Thumbs up!
I was watching another video earlier, and a thought entered my mind:
How do companies decide what a serving size is for the purposes of nutritional information?
Might be a neat topic to discuss in a video! Keep up the good work.
Another wonderful question answered.
Simon, I hope your health is OK. I've never seen you so jittery; I got a little motion sickness & anxiety watching you in this vid.
Wishing you wellness.
...GOOD SHOW, Simon ...I have pondered this 'anomaly' for years without specific cause in repose. You have 'single-handedly' enlightened me ...Thank you
you are comfy and i enjoy watching and learning. thank you for doing what you do.
I once read in an article of Scientific American that our faces were influenced by the ability to take a punch, further entwining the evolution of the hand with the evolution of the face.
I never even thought about this. Thanks for the video!
Thank you so much! Very informative and great presentation!
I wonder if our ancestors developed the big thumbs in a similar way to polydactyl cats, at first. Some of them still have the smaller original thumb as well as the big one, on one of both hands.
I think that the idea of the hand evolving alongside the progression of tools is an interesting theory. I just have one critique of this. Why would the strength within the actual finger tendons not atrophy? We still have relatively strong fingers, despite us developing tools to accomplish most difficult tasks. Any thoughts on this?
Two things I can think of. First we have these good tools from a few thousand years ago, but evolution takes a lot more time than that. Second evolution is somewhat random plus these better hands still gave enough advantage to be desirable and not fall out like our tails for example.
I think it has something to do with advances in technology being exponential while human evolution is more linear. The advancement of the tools we use is increasing faster than our body can adapt.
I think the point about there not being enough time to evolve is probably a fair answer. Phillip' point makes me wonder how technology will shift the physical appearance of humans. Will certain characteristics increase fitness by making the bearer excel at the various aspects of technology? E-sports is what first comes to mind. Individuals can become rich and famous through a method that has never before existed.
I think medicine and the fact that more people survive that would be dead otherwise will be a bigger factor
Well consider this: An ape can hang onto a branch for long periods of time... A human can hold onto tools that do require more significant hand strength, yet an ape can barely hold on to a branch without dropping it.
Very interesting! Keep it up!
Amazing video. Thanks
Humans, as a species, sorta' suck. We can't run that fast or jump that high, and we ain't that strong - comparatively speaking. But what we do have are two things that no other species has: a big, adaptable brain and opposable thumbs. Plus booze. No other species has been able to produce a fine malt whiskey or a good cold beer. So, we win. Hands/thumbs down.
If i remember correctly some animal species like to eat fermented fruit and get wasted.
They do, but I'm not sure if they ferment it on purpose like we do.
I agree with your statement that in long distance running humans do seem to have an advantage.
But most predator/prey interactions occur within a few yards. Short bursts of speed are critical. So my contention still stands because most predatory actions do not occur over "4 dozen miles".
But I get your point that humans are pretty good at long distance travel. I agree. My point was in that in a close range,tooth to claw combat, humans end up on the short side. Ergo, the reliance on our brains and hands to overcome our shortcuts.
P.S. Thanks for the thoughtful reply.
There are some tribes in Africa that still practice persistence hunting. They actually pursue an animal until it collapses from exhaustion/dehydration. I remember watching a documentary about it and couldn't stop laughing. That explains all those Kenyan marathon runners. Hehehe
xkopp375 If your only reason why humans suck is because we are not fast we can't jump high and ain't strong then we are TONS of different animals that are a lot worse than human also humans can be quiet strong fast and jump high to, humans were meant to be in the wild running around in the wild not sitting at a desk
Before this video I had never thought about this question. Before I hit play I realized when you close your fist your fingers align. I thought, well there's the answer. But he had so much more to say. Good stuff.
This makes a lot of sense. We are told today that the safest way to strike with a hand is to use the palm rather than a balled fist (which is more vulnerable to breaking bones). However, a clenched fist is an instinctive reaction when a human is faced with violent threats.
Right, that is a really good point. I never asked myself why it was so easy doing a fist before.
Positioning of the thumb can also increase the strength of one's wrist. If you put your fist in a vertical position and place the thumb overtop the index finger while bending it you can make your wrist more rigid making it less likely to shift when punching.
Somebody got a little too much sun recently. Simon, you need a good hat! Also, I'm pleased to see your channel is gaining some real traction and is about to hit 900K subscribers.
I thought this video was going to mention the ratio of pointer to ring finger length. I heard it's influenced by testosterone levels experienced in utero and thought to be linked to personality traits. If you haven't already, you should make a video on that.
Hey Todayifoundout
would you do a short on the u.p.c or bar code. I imagine it would be mildly interesting at least...
Thanks for an awesome channel.
The hand evolved so we could one day experience The Rocker, The Spocker, The Shocker and The Show-Stopper.
Science.
Good watch. Thanks.
You should do a today I found out about Daven and he should do one for you
Hello. Great video
Can you please update the sources in your description. It currently just says "SOURCES LINKS GO HERE (vi)" and "(vii)".
Thank you
The human body is fascinating. Your hands, if trained consistently and for a long time can get REALLY fucking strong. As with every other muscle of course, but the hands are so neat.
Simon,will you do a video about whether or not a person or company knows when you are using your cell phone? I don't get phone calls all day until I start watching videos or using the phone for other things.
Did you get highlights in your beard or is it thicker or something? Looking good.
*Hey Hello How Are You..Well ＴＯＤＡＹ Ｉ ＦＯＵＮＤ ＯＵＴ That This Channel Is Available To All Humans Which I Subscribed To It Because Of The Amazing Work Congrats!! I Have A Question For You..What Do You Use To Record Those Flawless 1080p60fps Videos?*
That is actually really cool. Next time I punch the crap out of someone, I'll know to thank evolution for my gift.
The logical conclusion of this video is a human fighting an ape to the death.
This is unbelievably creepy. Just a few hours ago I was thinking that they needed to do a video on this very topic
All parts of the body follow the phi ratio and are self proportional to the whole of the body. The lengths of each finger are the sum of the joint segments, and each segment is the phi ratio of the two above segments summed. It's actually quite beautiful and fascinating.
Got a friend at work, Stubby, all his fingers... Well u get the idea
Watch this muted and you'd swear he's doing a dance.
I paused before the video started and i was completely expecting "Vsauce, Micheal here"
The way a man holds an axe *TRIGGERED*
I just noticed that my middle finger is longer because of the first knuckle, which makes it stick out further when making a fist. This gives a sharp edge to the fist.
This question has haunted me since I was 7 years old.
Thank you.
Oh look, it's Vsauce's less successful twin brother.
You guys should do a video on whether saying the words "uh" or "um" actually helps someone recall information faster.
I find the very quiet music troubling.
Well that makes two of us.
is there usually music? I can't remember now
Kelly are you deaf?
yep
2:04 My flexor pollicis longus is stongus.
Drinking game: Take a shot each time "Fatty pads" is said.
99% of video: Thumbs
.5% of video: You can make a fist
.5% of video: Like subscribe
Supporting the 'Fist' theory: The moment humans are born, they know how, and frequently do make fists. A crying infant more often than not has its hands in fists, though I would suspect this to be more for want of grabbing and grappling than for hitting.
He's talking with his hands, about hands.
And that's why that guy could hit the kangaroo in the face and got his dog back!
how were the first metal tools made?
You guys should do one on sheep tails. I had no idea they were so long.
Fascinating.
Talking about making a fist being a factor, I think I've seen a video about the evolution of human facial bones/structure becoming more adept to taking a right hook.
Random question: do you make a fist with your thumb tucked inside your hand or thumb on the outside???
We evolved opposable thumbs to hit that like button on the video.
I love the way he says evolution "EVIL-lution". Sounds so sinister, like he's talking about a mad scientist :3
not only did our hands develope to form a good punching fist, our face and skull developed to better protect our brains from said punches
human finger bones are in the golden ratio: 1.6
You forgot the most important weapon our hands give us, finger guns
A British guy moving his hands like an Italian 🤟
This is interesting to me as both an archer and a swordfighter.
Man, hands are awesome.
Hi VSauce.
Micheal here.
Oh wait its not VSauce.
This is my other channel.
Human thumbs can come in contact with the tip of each finger on the opposite hand too. I just tried it myself and it worked.
There was a sicshow episdoe that was pretty similar. I think it was called 'the anatomy of getting punched in the face' or something of that nature, which went into the evolution of the human skull alongside the human hand. I.e. getting punched in the face is why our bones (in our face) are arranged the way they are.
that's a cute af thumbnail
thumbs up 👍
before even watching the video. I have realized that when you close your fist your finger tips are all pretty even, at least much closer than when your fingers are extended. I figuring grip has a pretty big importance as to why your fingers arent all the same length. of course this is just based on my own hands but Im assuming this is the case for (almost) everyone.
very cool!
Simon here is my question for today I found out, Why is minty breath considered fresh breath as opposed to like orange scented breath for instance?
Today I found out, the channel that makes you wonder about things you never think about.
what is, in your opinion, the best video you have made?
Please do a video on glow sticks!!!!
3:53 That's not a three;it's a cassowary's foot.
I always wondered about this. Now I know
You should make a video about why everyone has flag poles!
sci show had an episode about how our faces likely evolved. one of the points is that it is structured in a way to be able to take front on blows..... from fists. we literally evolved some traits because humans are violent towards one another so often it became a biological feature.
Do a video about, "Why are some jokes funnier than others?"
So our hands partially evolved because everything is allergic to bludgeoning ;)
I never knew I wanted to know this
Wow...
The theory of the fist is so smart...
Human hands are designed for tools. We need tools to survive.
So it's to punch people better?
Well our cheekbones are broader and flatter apparently so we can take a punch, so I guess it's not all that surprising
The ones who could punch better wiped out the ones who couldn't.
Never mind that in real martial arts, you don't strike with fists at all...
I don't think he actually explained that well why fingers are different lengths, just how we got the fingers we did and how long it took to get those fingers as well as the difference between our fingers and a primate's fingers.
I swear to god if you say fatty pads one more time 😹😹
this video came up while I was playing my guitar
Lots of assurance based on an unproven theory
i will never ask my teacher agian
So made for punching?
Yes, but which one is the brother finger? You make several subtle visual references to the ubiquitos finger family videos.
the hand evolved when the first sapien learned how to beat his meat. thus grip was enhanced