 Editor in Chief Bill   | 20 May 2020 9:29 p.m. PST |
…Research shows that flowing facial hair might have evolved to help fight-hungry humans better absorb blows to the head, according to a new study published in the journal Integrative Organismal Biology. The findings are the culmination of several research projects by the same team on human resilience, including experiments on the ability of the human face to take a punch and the human hands' efficacy as melee weapons…. link |
| King Monkey | 21 May 2020 4:42 a.m. PST |
I always thought they were for saving bits of dinner for later. That's what I used mine for ;) |
| Ed Mohrmann | 21 May 2020 5:00 a.m. PST |
And doesn't it seem that, Prehistorically speaking,
shaving might have been a wee problematic ??? |
| Doug MSC | 21 May 2020 6:11 a.m. PST |
I used mine to catch bugs when I rode my motorcycle and eat them as snacks on the way to my destination. Didn't have to make stops except for gas. |
| Vintage Wargaming | 21 May 2020 7:13 a.m. PST |
Not every beard has a point |
| Max Schnell | 21 May 2020 7:45 a.m. PST |
A renown researcher has concluded that prehistoric humans lacked shaving cream, safety razors and the strip jingo a to make their shaving experience enjoyable. "Take it off, take it all off" Noxzema Shave Cream TV Commercial 1965 Noxzema Chemical Company |
| d88mm1940 | 21 May 2020 8:25 a.m. PST |
A carefully nurtured beard can provide soup at least twice a week… |
| rustymusket | 21 May 2020 8:37 a.m. PST |
I look better with the more of my face that is covered. |
79thPA  | 21 May 2020 9:35 a.m. PST |
I'd say it evolved because cutting it off wasn't particularly practical. |
 Yellow Admiral | 21 May 2020 10:47 a.m. PST |
Seems more likely this article is an example of the evolved human tendency to manufacture meaning. There are lots of men who can't grow thick beards, including the vast majority of natives from large parts of the planet (the Americas, the Pacific, large parts of Asia, parts of Africa, etc.), but nearly all men can grow some amount of facial hair, suggesting that gender dimorphism was probably a stronger influence than damage mitigation. Sexual displays are an incredibly common feature of the evolutionary process. - Ix |
| Stryderg | 21 May 2020 8:24 p.m. PST |
Comparing the times I hit my head between back when I had hair on it and now…I don't think there's much absorption offered by a bit of hair. |
| Zephyr1 | 21 May 2020 9:27 p.m. PST |
"… including experiments on the ability of the human face to take a punch and the human hands' efficacy as melee weapons" I think the 'protective value' may have been in the greasiness of the hair/beard, in making the punch slide off instead of absorbing impact. Also, I believe they had thicker skulls back then, too… ;-) |
| Ed Mohrmann | 22 May 2020 7:21 a.m. PST |
Unless hitting soft tissues (stomach, kidney area, etc)
or using 'enhancements' (Brass knuckles, though a clutch
of housekeys or a roll of coins will do in a pinch)
fists are very poor melee weapons. But one cannot carry a piece of pipe around all the
time… |
