Unexpected Evolutionary Advantage of the Day: Researchers have discovered that wrinkly “prune fingers” may actually serve a useful purpose.
Fingers that wrinkle when wet may be natural “rain treads” that evolved to improve our grip on slippery surfaces, according to evolutionary biologist Mark Changizi. His hypothesis is that pressing against something with pruney fingers drains water away through the wrinkles, improving grip.
Not everyone agrees with Changizi, but he’s in the process of supporting his hypothesis with some real-life grip testing in wet conditions. Thus far, pruney fingers appear to be outperforming smooth ones.
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