Confirmed: Human hands evolved so we could punch each other
About the same time as we stopped hanging from trees and started walking upright, our hands become short and square, with opposable thumbs. These anatomical changes are thought to have evolved for tool manipulation, but David Carrier at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City has an alternative explanation.
He says there are several possible hand shapes that would have allowed greater dexterity, making it less clear why we ended up with the hands we have. But only one hand shape lets us make a fist with a thumb as buttress. …
The athletes could generate more than twice the force with a normal fist as with the thumb-stuck-out fist, because of thumb’s buttressing role. There was no difference in the force they could generate with a normal fist and with an open palm, but Carrier says it’s possible that a fist concentrates the force into a smaller area and so does more damage.
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More like God made them 6000 years ago so we could punch each other!
/evangelical xtian
Armin Tamzarian on December 20, 2012 at 6:03 PM
It probably had more to do with the force used with a rock, or other tool than with a fist. Why would fist fighting be more valuable to survival than tool use?
sharrukin on December 20, 2012 at 6:07 PM
Confirmed, or hypothesized?
steebo77 on December 20, 2012 at 6:09 PM
Human hands evolved for choking the chicken. Imagine life without hands?
keep the change on December 20, 2012 at 6:11 PM
No way, human hands evolved so that granddad could ask the grandkids to pull his finger.
radjah shelduck on December 20, 2012 at 6:12 PM
Do these people just sit together in a room and just come up with whatever theory that makes sense to them?
justinok on December 20, 2012 at 6:12 PM
The fist is a horrible weapon — lots of small bones and connective tissue.
Try again.
Abelard on December 20, 2012 at 6:12 PM
Sometimes these headlines are just silly.
Yep. Human beings one day got together and said, “You know what? We need to get our genetics to mutate over generations so we can pummel each other better! Okay?”
Stoic Patriot on December 20, 2012 at 6:12 PM
Compared to the skull, heel, knee, and elbow, the hand is an poor weapon and best preserved from injury for other important tasks (like stress relief).
lexhamfox on December 20, 2012 at 6:18 PM
Hey, why let good sense get in the way of an embarrassing “scientific theory” that can be used to further prove how stupid the people are who believe in something far more palatable?
somewhatconcerned on December 20, 2012 at 6:19 PM
.
Hypothesized
From the abstract “We propose that the derived proportions of hominin hands reflect, in part, sexual selection to improve fighting performance.”
http://jeb.biologists.org/content/216/2/236.abstract
.
Really all they found was that a fist is better than a pimp slap for hurting someone.
.
Hand evolution so we could perform beatdowns is Not confirmed just proposed.
LincolntheHun on December 20, 2012 at 6:20 PM
Abelard has it: the fist is the short route to a broken hand. Much better to use the opposable thumb to pick up a rock.
PersonFromPorlock on December 20, 2012 at 6:21 PM
[sharrukin on December 20, 2012 at 6:07 PM]
Breaking news: Apes typed out Marquis of Queensbury rules 100,000 years ago.
Dusty on December 20, 2012 at 6:21 PM
[sharrukin on December 20, 2012 at 6:07 PM]
Are you trying to imply that a savage ape might cheat and pick up a rock or a pointy stick?
sharrukin on December 20, 2012 at 6:26 PM
It would explain the emergence of labor unions in 2,000,000 B.C.
steebo77 on December 20, 2012 at 6:27 PM
OT: Looks like HobbyLobby lost in the lower federal court.
http://www.lifenews.com/2012/12/20/appeals-court-obama-admin-can-force-hobby-lobby-to-obey-hhs-mandate/
I assume they will appeal the ruling.
Blake on December 20, 2012 at 6:27 PM
Who added this headline? There’s nothing in the article about confirmation, just an interesting alternate proposal by a scientist on how hands developed. You’d almost think Hot Gas was trolling for hits. Almost.
mythicknight on December 20, 2012 at 6:31 PM
Except punching with a fist is not the best way to hit someone, especially in the face, the heel of the hand is much more effective and less likely to cause damage to the hand like a closed fist.
Daemonocracy on December 20, 2012 at 6:31 PM
My intention wasn’t that, but you’re absolutely right there on the evolution.
Dusty on December 20, 2012 at 6:35 PM
Horses have hooves so they can kick each other and I think this scientist guy’s head may have gotten in the way.
vityas on December 20, 2012 at 6:37 PM
It’s hard to believe these people have the gall to call themselves scientists.
Axion on December 20, 2012 at 6:40 PM
Probably more of a remnant from our knuckle-walking stage, but whatever.
Knott Buyinit on December 20, 2012 at 6:41 PM
Video proof , kind of.
Dusty on December 20, 2012 at 6:42 PM
I thought hands existed to cover one’s head during a beatdown.
Ladysmith CulchaVulcha on December 20, 2012 at 6:43 PM
.
It’s slightly more accurate than
Slightly.
LincolntheHun on December 20, 2012 at 6:50 PM
I thought it was for holding guns better, no?
roy_batty on December 20, 2012 at 7:13 PM
chemman on December 20, 2012 at 7:23 PM
For punching hippies.
esnap on December 20, 2012 at 7:32 PM
If you really want to make fun of someone saying something stupid, you should start with the article.
What makes a better weapon: a fist, or a hand holding a club?
What makes a better weapon: a fist, or a hand swinging an axe?
What makes a better weapon: a fist, or a hand thrusting with a pointed stick?
Even if you totally accept that the hand “evolved” “for a purpose,” the idea that it was to make a better punching tool is not just highly speculative, but frankly more than a little absurd. At the exact same time that the hand was presumably evolving into the shape of a fist, the use of tools would have been a better “reason” for that evolution than being able to throw a better punch.
And let’s face it, to assume that anything evolved “for a purpose” is to make a mockery of the theory of evolution that requires multiple unrelated but cumulative genetic adaptations in a completely unguided and naturalistic process.
tom on December 20, 2012 at 7:35 PM
To reiterate what a few have said, the fist is not a great weapon without sufficient training. If you just throw punches at someone’s head its a great way to break your hand. Throwing straight (or vertical) punches to the floating ribs or the kidneys on the other hand can be highly effective. Since a broken hand would have trouble holding food or climbing it seems like the ones who primarily used the fist as a weapon would have a harder time surviving and reproducing.
If hand to hand combat was that important to reproduction we’d all have legs perfect for kicking other peoples knees out.
Kronos on December 20, 2012 at 8:32 PM
The same hands form a perfect cup that you can dip in the river to get a drink of water. The crocodiles can’t grab you as easily because you are crouched and can leap away. You would be in a helpless position if you had to lay on your belly and put your mouth to the river so you’d be lunch for the crocodile.
Yes, that is ridiculous, but it’s a better argument for why the hands evolved into their shape than the punchy argument.
Buddahpundit on December 20, 2012 at 8:37 PM
If you read Carrier’s page you’ll see that his emphasis is on “the role that aggressive behavior has played in the evolution of the musculoskeletal system of great apes and hominins”
So of course he finds evidence of it everywhere. That’s how you get grants and tenure.
Xavier on December 20, 2012 at 8:42 PM