Scientists slap stuff with cadaver hands to figure out why fist shape evolved
“A new study claims that punching may have helped our ancestors evolve a unique human hand shape, one capable of forming a fist. The experiment, which relied on cadaver arms strung up with fishing line and guitar tuners, is delightfully offbeat. But many researchers seem unconvinced by the findings.
David Carrier’s ideas about the human hand are controversial, but that doesn’t seem to bother him much. Ironically, his hypothesis — that ancient fisticuffs helped drive the evolution of the human hand — first came to him in the middle of a loud argument.”
More at the Washington Post:
also on the BBC:
