• Question: Why isn't our big toe on the side of our foot in the same way that our thumb is on the side of our hand?

    Asked by dot2dot to Amy, Karen, Sarah, Vijay, Will on 18 Jun 2012.
    • Photo: Amy Birch

      Amy Birch answered on 18 Jun 2012:

      Hi dot2dot,
      Ancestors of humans used to have big toes like our thumbs, because it is thought that they used to live in the trees rather than on the ground.
      As humans started to live on the ground, they also evolved the ability to walk upright more efficiently and that’s why our big toes evolved to be in the place that they are now. The position of our big toes now makes balancing and walking a lot easier, whereas the position of our big toes like our ancestors would have made it easier for us to climb trees in the past.

    • Photo: Sarah Martin

      Sarah Martin answered on 20 Jun 2012:

      Hi dot2dot,

      That’s actually a really big question in evolution!
      One of the big steps that humans have made that gives us a big evolutionary advantage now is the fact that we have opposing thumbs, and can hold things and use tools in a way that apes, who have thumbs like big toes can’t! This has helped us hugely in creating our civilisation, crafts and technology – try writing without using your thumb! It’s considered almost as important a difference between us and apes as our larger brain is.

      🙂 Sarah

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