BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, podcasts.

Hello, it's Dr Chris and Dr Zand, that's me.

Welcome to the first of this week's daily doses.

Throughout January, we're going to be dropping these bite-sized chunks of expert wisdom from previous episodes of

WhatsApp docs and they're going to be peppering your feed in between the release of our main

episode and Doctor's Notes on Tuesdays. We hope you're enjoying this. We hope you're finding them

helpful or reassuring and maybe they're reminding you of things that you'd started to do

or started to not worry about and then forgotten. I like a clip from the archive.

You know, you get it a lot on social media that you get a clip from a movie and you think, oh, I enjoyed that movie, I should go and watch that. That's what these are. They're a little nudge to go, oh, yeah, I enjoyed learning about testosterone. I might go and have a listen to that. might have a think about that.

Well, today, I'm very excited. Go and have a listen to that. Might have a think about that.

Well, today I'm very excited because we're going to go back and hear what Dr. Yassur Al-Nuemi said about our nails, which are a window into our health. So in particular, Dr. Yusser highlighted how our nails have evolved to optimize our finger function.

They arose probably because claws weren't dexterous enough. As primates, we needed to use our digits

more and precisely. It allows fine motor skills, holding onto branches, use of tools, fine motor

manipulation as well. So nails are essentially adapted claws that are flatter and serve the purpose

better for what primates needed. Presumably, Chris, they also protect the tips of your fingers as well. Like I'm thinking if you're a primate where you're beginning to use tools, I don't know, maybe you're hollowing something out or borrowing for something. A claw isn't as useful as a little hard, it's like a helmet for your finger, isn't it? That's interesting. Definitely. Is that a true use? Is that right? Absolutely. They're like mini shields for your digits, for your fingers and toes.

They protect your hands and feet from trauma. And they also act as a counterpressure as well.

So it's really interesting. Actually, people who may not have nails for different reasons,

have less tactile sensation to the end of their digits and even

their toes if they've lost nails and that fine rate of precision and feedback that the nerves

provide when your fingertip presses and then the nails, the counterpressure against it is really

important as a function of the nails as well. So when we pick something up, I'm getting what

you're saying, if I pinch, I can really feel that. Because I'm imagining if instead of having a

...