Evolution at work:
Proven: Pruney Fingers Give You a Better Grip
Standing in the shower or sitting in the tub, many of us have looked at our wrinkled fingertips and had occasion to wonder: Why do they get so pruney when wet?
Over the years, people have pointed to a number of explanations, most commonly the idea that the wrinkles are simply a reflection of the skin absorbing water. Now, according to a study published yesterday in the journal Biology Letters by researchers from Newcastle University in the UK, we have a definitive (and more interesting) explanation: Pruney fingers are better at gripping wet objects. […]