• Question: whats the function of the white bit on your fnger nails?

    Asked by alishawatt1 to Niall on 10 Mar 2013.
    • Photo: Niall Crawford

      Niall Crawford answered on 10 Mar 2013:

      For me, it’s something to bite! They probably had some function of gripping for our ancestors (animals like parrots, cats and dogs all have claws for grip), but evolution has changed them into what we have now. On our hands they still serve an important job in helping us in day to day life to grip, hold or manipulate things (in my case, I find it harder because I bite mine!). On our feet, this isn’t as true, and you may notice that our nails on our feet are quite different from the ones on our hands.

      The white bit is just the bit not connected to the actual finger, and is the overgrown part which can help with gripping.

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