Humans are unique creatures in many ways, but one of the most noticeable differences between other animals and us is the lack of body hair. You’re not alone if you’ve ever wondered why humans aren’t covered in fur like our animal counterparts. In fact, scientists at the University of Pittsburgh have been studying this question for decades, and they’ve come up with some intriguing answers.

Source: TED-Ed/Youtube

One of the main reasons humans lost their body hair is the development of sweat glands. Animals like apes and monkeys have sweat glands, but they’re mostly located on their palms and soles. On the other hand, humans have sweat glands all over their bodies. This allows us to cool down more efficiently when we’re hot, which was important as our ancestors started to walk upright and move to hotter climates. The development of sweat glands allowed early humans to lose their body hair because it would have become matted and heavy with sweat. Fur would also have trapped heat, making it harder to cool down. So, over time, early humans evolved to have less and less body hair, eventually leading to the smooth skin we have today.

Another theory suggests that body hair loss could have been a sexual selection. Many scientists believe that early humans may have lost their body hair to attract a mate. According to this theory, early humans with less body hair would have appeared more youthful and healthy and, therefore, more desirable as a mate. Additionally, the more exposed skin allowed for better communication with nonverbal cues. This theory also proposes that it’s also why the hair on the scalp, eyelashes, and eyebrows were retained, which can indicate health and age.

The fact that humans have less body hair than other primates is also linked to our use of tools and clothing development. As early humans began to make and use tools, they needed to be able to manipulate small objects with their fingers. Having less body hair would have made it easier to use tools and make and wear clothing. With the invention of fire and the ability to cook, our ancestors could venture out from warm forests to cooler areas. So clothing would have been necessary for warmth.

However, humans aren’t the only animals that have lost their body hair over time. Whales and dolphins, for example, are thought to have evolved from land animals that eventually returned to the sea! As they did, they lost their body hair, which would have been of little use in the water.

There are several theories as to why humans aren’t covered in body hair like other animals are. The most likely explanation is that the development of sweat glands allowed early humans to cool down more efficiently, leading to the loss of body hair over time. Other theories suggest that body hair loss could have been a sexual selection, and it’s also linked to the use of tools and the development of clothing. But one thing is clear: losing body hair was an important step in human evolution and adaptation to changing environments over time.

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