Watch Your Fingers

Every five minutes, somewhere someone is breaking their fingers. This is not because they have been captured for torture, or because they are unnecessarily clumsy. It is because Nature wants to remove our fingers, and will eventually find a way to do so.

If we compare human fingers to those of chimpanzees, we learn that we are in the midst of a prolonged evolution away from fingers. However, the inventions of the industrial revolution and our recent reliance on "touchscreen" devices may slow or eliminate our progress toward a safer and more consolidated design, which scientists call the "single plank goal."

And we are learning the hard way. When we thwart the intentions of Nature, we pay with our fingers.

What Can I Do?

• Wear rubber mittens.
• Remove items from your house which contain right angles.
• Evaluate you daily usage and stop tempting fate. Are you using your fingers for activities which don't directly contribute to your wellbeing?
• Talk to your doctor about proactive removal.

Consider reading this useful guide on WebMD.