Fingers

NikNik · 03-11-2005 02:40PM #1

This question was posted in the free Metro paper and I've been looking and my hands the whole day feeling puzzled. I know there's probably a very obvious reason for it but it's wrecking my head. Why aren't all our fingers the same size ?

MrJoeSoap · 03-11-2005 02:42PM

What a strange question. I have no idea.

besty · 03-11-2005 02:45PM

Now that's a thinker....hmmm

Kiera · 03-11-2005 02:47PM

Thats like asking "why is the grass green"

monkeyfudge · 03-11-2005 02:48PM

Kiera wrote:

Thats like asking "why is the grass green"

Because of the chlorophyll content?

MrJoeSoap · 03-11-2005 02:49PM

Kiera wrote:

Thats like asking "why is the grass green"

We'll answer that one when we've dealt with the first one.

Now, fingers... hmmm...

hullaballoo · 03-11-2005 02:49PM

I just counted myself lucky to have opposable thumbs in the first place, but now life has new meaning!

Niall123 · 03-11-2005 02:49PM

I have a feelin this is gonna be another "first one to google wins".

xzanti · 03-11-2005 02:49PM

Thats a dilly of a pickle alright...

MrJoeSoap · 03-11-2005 02:50PM

http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbnInquiry.asp?isbn=0060740914&itm=1

From the Imponderables series comes another book for those who wonder: Why are our fingers different lengths? What flavor is bubble gum supposed to be? Why do rabbits wiggle their noses? And other generally troubling matters!

NikNik · 03-11-2005 02:51PM

Kiera wrote:

Thats like asking "why is the grass green"

not really. thats would have to do with the way the sunlight reflects on the grass or some such reason - same kinda reason why the sky is blue.

MrJoeSoap · 03-11-2005 02:52PM

NikNik wrote:

not really. thats would have to do with the way the sunlight reflects on the grass or some such reason - same kinda reason why the sky is blue.

No I'm pretty sure grass is actually green.

Kiera · 03-11-2005 02:53PM

NikNik wrote:

not really. thats would have to do with the way the sunlight reflects on the grass or some such reason - same kinda reason why the sky is blue.

You are taking the píss, right?

eefs · 03-11-2005 02:54PM

Well, sure, some of our arms aren't the same length, or legs, ladies' breasticles can be different sizes...our teeth aren't all even.

We're like snowflakes. All uniquely different.

Yeah.

Ruaidhri · 03-11-2005 02:56PM

why should they be the same length? it allows us to grip different shaped objects. irregular shaped objects.

NikNik · 03-11-2005 02:59PM

Kiera wrote:

You are taking the píss, right?

Well, I was close...

http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/education/ask/?quid=557

Surprisingly, grass has a green color because it absorbs all other colors except green! That may sound odd, but remember that if you can see a color, then that color is reaching your eyes. For that to happen, an object needs to absorb (keep) all of the other colors of the rainbow and reflect (not keep) the color that you see
Grass and other green plants have a chemical called chlorophyll (KLOR-oh-fill), and its special structure allows it to specifically catch blue and red light. All light has energy, and chlorophyll absorbs the colors that have the correct energy to help power the plant’s machinery. The plant can then turn carbon dioxide and water into glucose, a sugar. The leftover light, mostly green, bounces off and reaches our eyes; since there’s a lot of chlorophyll in plants, we see them as being green.

NikNik · 03-11-2005 03:00PM

Ruaidhri wrote:

why should they be the same length? it allows us to grip different shaped objects. irregular shaped objects.

no i think thats why we have joints

Rantorama · 03-11-2005 03:01PM

NikNik wrote:

not really. thats would have to do with the way the sunlight reflects on the grass or some such reason - same kinda reason why the sky is blue.

Yeah,I think the grass is actually colourless,but the way the human eye sees it,it appears to be green.I'm sure someone who payed attention in science class will correct me though.

monkeyfudge · 03-11-2005 03:01PM

I already said it was because of the chlorophyll... doesn't anyone ever listen to me?

The reason why Ireland is so famously green is because of our lack of sunshine... and as such the plants have a higher chlorophyll content.

Kiera · 03-11-2005 03:03PM

NikNik wrote:

Well, I was close...

http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/education/ask/?quid=557

Surprisingly, grass has a green color because it absorbs all other colors except green! That may sound odd, but remember that if you can see a color, then that color is reaching your eyes. For that to happen, an object needs to absorb (keep) all of the other colors of the rainbow and reflect (not keep) the color that you see
Grass and other green plants have a chemical called chlorophyll (KLOR-oh-fill), and its special structure allows it to specifically catch blue and red light. All light has energy, and chlorophyll absorbs the colors that have the correct energy to help power the plant’s machinery. The plant can then turn carbon dioxide and water into glucose, a sugar. The leftover light, mostly green, bounces off and reaches our eyes; since there’s a lot of chlorophyll in plants, we see them as being green.

Oh how i laughed. That showed me

I still say its god damn GREEN

audge · 03-11-2005 03:06PM

I think the real question that needs to be asked here is.....................................................

why where you reading the free metro????

landser · 03-11-2005 03:09PM

your fingers are all the same length. it's just that the little finger is further away and therefore looks smaller... small and far away fr. dougal:D

IceHawk · 03-11-2005 03:09PM

OK, Grass is green because of the chlorophyll. The explanation about it absorbing other wavelengths of light is just a basic explanation of all colours. Everything absorbs different wavelengths of light, and the wavelengths that are reflected back into our eyes are interpreted by our brains as colours.

And as for why our fingers are different lengths? Well that's obviously...ummm... because that's the way god made us! Yeah, that makes sense.

Wow... my hands are so cool. They can touch everything except themselves...

Oh.

NikNik · 03-11-2005 03:12PM

landser wrote:

your fingers are all the same length. it's just that the little finger is further away and therefore looks smaller... small and far away fr. dougal:D

LoL

hullaballoo · 03-11-2005 03:13PM

landser wrote:

your fingers are all the same length. it's just that the little finger is further away and therefore looks smaller... small and far away fr. dougal:D

Nearly p!ssed myself

stevenmu · 03-11-2005 03:20PM

NikNik wrote:

Why aren't all our fingers the same size ?

To make typing on QWERTY keyboards easier.

Either that or it's to give your hands a more rounded shape for better balance, and to make lifting them easier when walking on them. Given the usuall time scales mentioned for evolution I'm going with the second answer.

vibe666 · 03-11-2005 03:25PM

quite simply to make them more versatile, so you can do lots more different things with them. bowling, archery, the vulcan death pinch etc.

Kiera · 03-11-2005 03:27PM

NikNik wrote:

Well, I was close...

http://www.ccmr.cornell.edu/education/ask/?quid=557

Surprisingly, grass has a green color because it absorbs all other colors except green! That may sound odd, but remember that if you can see a color, then that color is reaching your eyes. For that to happen, an object needs to absorb (keep) all of the other colors of the rainbow and reflect (not keep) the color that you see
Grass and other green plants have a chemical called chlorophyll (KLOR-oh-fill), and its special structure allows it to specifically catch blue and red light. All light has energy, and chlorophyll absorbs the colors that have the correct energy to help power the plant’s machinery. The plant can then turn carbon dioxide and water into glucose, a sugar. The leftover light, mostly green, bounces off and reaches our eyes; since there’s a lot of chlorophyll in plants, we see them as being green.

I'm a bit slow today but why didnt you just put "Why aren't all our fingers the same size ?" into the search on that site?????

Vikings · 03-11-2005 03:35PM

vibe666 wrote:

quite simply to make them more versatile, so you can do lots more different things with them. bowling, archery, the vulcan death pinch etc.

Made me laugh ... almost tempted to brand you with the N word

Ruaidhri · 03-11-2005 03:36PM

from http://www.4to40.com/QA/index.asp?counter=274&category=science

In the earliest days of life on Earth, hands helped man when he stood or walked about. They were used much as an ape uses them now.

If we put our hands on a table as if about to walks on the tips of our fingers, we can see what a well-balanced support is formed. We no longer need our hands for walking, of course, but the unequal length of our fingers still help us in many ways to maintain balance and grasp and use tools-the main thing man can do that makes him special.

Heh, told ya. altho i didnt guess at the walking thing.

NikNik · 03-11-2005 03:36PM

100th post

Fingers

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