What good are toenails at this point in human evolution?

You make a good point. They don’t seem to have much function anymore.

I think about this in other areas too.

Excessive body hair. We don’t really need it to keep warm anymore, do we?

Girls menstruating at young ages. Is anyone trying to get pregnant as a teenager anymore? (Yes, I know it’s connected to puberty and overall development, but still.)

Evolution is slow I suppose.

I am not a vain person, but since my feet are my best feature, I like to keep my toenails painted. Usually a hot pink color.

1. Evolution does not work the way too many modern people think it does. It’s not about purposes and intentional changes. It’s about creatures tending to be the same generation after generation, except for some random mutations, and then when and IF some massive threat wipes out most or all members who have or don’t have certain traits, THEN the population has more survivors with those traits.

2. Have you ever lost a thumbnail? I have. They serve at least two purposes. First, they protect your toe a bit from some bumps that toes do tend to get, which the soft top of a toe otherwise will suffer more from. Second, it feels to me like it improves the structure of the toe for grip/traction purposes. It feels better. Without a nail, that toe felt both more vulnerable, and weaker.

They’re annoying to clip, though.

I can scratch portions of my legs and feet with my toenails, which saves on the energy expenditure required to bend down and use my fingernails, then lift my body weight back up. Which requires less food to fuel such actions.
Which is more efficient.
Which is an evolutionary plus.

They’re detrimental. They’re prone to infection.

They make an excellent weapon when you have a husband who throws the covers over your head when he feels a wicked fart coming on & holds the cover in place for good measure!!!

Is anyone else afraid to be alone with @canidmajor’s toenails?

They can (and do) scratch a shin, ankle, or calf itch.

They do seem fairly obsolete. I guess they still protect your toes if you smash your foot in front. It is a pain keeping them trimmed.

I wonder if that is why some people have very thin nails, maybe evolution is moving in the direction of the nails disappearing.

@cookieman Menstruation has gone in the opposite direction in the US; younger and younger. I don’t think that’s so much evolution, but I assume it’s more food accessibility and fattier foods.

Big toe turns black after stubbing the toe on table leg.

OUCH !

They make your feet and your hands look like parts of a matching set of digits.

Never underestimate the need to beautify in women.
If it’s there to be painted, they’ll do it.

Minor advantages don’t lead to evolutionary change unless/until they cause death before reproduction, or prevent reproduction.

And, I don’t think there’s any human mutation where someone has no toenails, to compete for survival and mates with those of us who do. But there is Nail Patella Syndrome which doesn’t sound like fun to me, but feel free to go mate with people who have it.

I will add wisdom teeth to the list.

@filmfann: Good addition.

@JLeslie: Very true. A girl in my daughter’s class got her period at age eleven (!!!)

@cookieman we lost excessive body hair millions of years ago.

I think they give stability to the toes, and thus should make walking easier, even if just slightly.
Also, mating rituals are an integral part of evolutionary success, and painting nails definitely falls under that umbrella.

They are there to inspire you to ask these questions.

I think when kicking things out of the way they protect the toes too.

@Dutchess_III: Clearly, you have not met my cousin Mario.

Lol. I know a lot of very hairy men.

Evolution has kept my toenails for a very critical reason: I love wearing sandals and open-toed shoes during warm weather, and my professional manicure looks cute.

But compared to chimpanzees even your cousin Mario isn’t that hairy @cookieman. Hairy in spots but not head to toe like a yimp.

@Dutchess_III: We’ll sure, but he does eat a lot of bananas.