Do pandas have thumbs? Kind of. We should periodically take the time to acknowledge and admire the significan role our biological morphology affects our psychology as a species. Aside from language, humans have a simple adaptation that wsa likely crucial to how we have evolved as a species.  This is our episode all about thumbs!

Recommendations

• Abraham: No Hard Feelings (https://www.sonypictures.com/movies/nohardfeelings)
• Shane: The Cipher by Kathe Koja (https://www.centipedepress.com/horror/cipher.html)

Links:

1. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/how-dexterous-thumbs-may-have-helped-shape-evolution-two-million-years-ago-180976870/
2. https://www.npr.org/2010/07/26/128676181/a-handy-bunch-tools-thumbs-helped-us-thrive
3. https://www.postregister.com/outdoors/humans-opposable-thumbs-grant-us-huge-advantages/article_87f0ce8c-c739-11ed-a365-4fadeb3996f9.html
4. https://www.wral.com/story/thumbs-gave-human-ancestors-a-formidable-advantage/19497111/
5. https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/permanent/human-origins/understanding-our-past/living-primates/the-grasping-hand
6. https://www.ruf.rice.edu/~kemmer/Evol/opposablethumb.html
7. https://magazine.scienceconnected.org/2015/01/oldest-primates-lived-trees/#:~:text=%E2%80%9CEarly%20primates%20were%20using%20this,ground%20couldn't%20reach.%E2%80%9D&text=The%20ability%20to%20live%20in,access%20to%20valuable%20food%20sources.
8. Almécija, S., Smaers, J. & Jungers, W. The evolution of human and ape hand proportions. Nat Commun 6, 7717 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms8717
9. Flatt A. E. (2002). Our thumbs. Proceedings(Baylor University. Medical Center), 15(4), 380–387. https://doi.org/10.1080/08998280.2002.11927870
10. https://www.cnn.com/2021/01/28/world/opposable-thumb-human-evolution-study-scn/index.html
11. https://www.thestar.com/life/2012/05/07/body_parts_pinky_finger.html
12. MacDermid, J. C., Lee, A., Richards, R. S., & Roth, J. H. (2004). Individual finger strength: are the ulnar digits "powerful"?. Journal of hand therapy : official journal of the American Society of Hand Therapists, 17(3), 364–367. https://doi.org/10.1197/j.jht.2004.04.006
13. https://www.lexisnexis.com/documents/pdf/20090727114916_large.pdf

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