How would we manage without our hands? They do so much for us and let’s face it, they’re a fascinating part of our bodies. Today we are going to show our hands some love, give them a round of applause, and talk about some facts about our hands that are sure to surprise you! So give someone a high five, snap your fingers, pat yourself on the back and read on for some incredible facts and quotes about human hands.
Here are some interesting facts about our hands you may not have known before!
- A quarter of all the bones in your body are found in your two hands.
- Your thumb has two bones.
- Approximately a quarter of the part of our brain which controls all movement in our bodies (the motor cortex) is devoted to the muscles of the hands alone.
- Have you ever wondered why you wear your wedding ring on your left finger? It’s because there is a vein in that finger called the vena amoris (vein of love). It once was believed to have been connected directly to your heart. Awe.
- The Hand has been used as a symbol of protection since ancient times.
- Press your left-hand thenar (the fleshy bulb at the base of your thumb) with your right index finger. That’s the consistency of raw steak. Now, touch the tip of your right thumb to your right index finger and press the thenar. That’s what a rare steak should feel like. Middle finger—medium-rare steak. Ring finger thenar—medium steak. Finally, your pinky will give you the consistency of a well-done steak. (Source)
- Our brains program the movements of our fingers long before we move them. So for a pianist who plays several keys in one second, you can imagine the speed at which their brain formulates a plan and then subsequently executes that plan. Meanwhile, that plan is constantly being updated after every finger movement.
- Pretty much our entire modern culture is based upon the fact that we have thumbs. Here are some things that wouldn’t exist or would be very different without our thumbs:
- Pacifiers
- Thumb wars
- Hitchhiking
- Doorknobs
- The “Like” button on Facebook (Source)
- When typing, your speed is fastest if successive keystrokes are between fingers on opposite hands.
- Our hands are so important that there are a great many words that include the word hand. These words also reflect the vast array of uses to which we put our hands. The use of hand in the word also makes these words pretty obvious as to their meaning, such as in handful, handwriting, handiwork. (Source)
There are many different definitions of ‘hand’ out there. Here are 15:
verb: place into the hands or custody of
noun: ability
noun: a card player in a game of bridge
noun: a hired laborer on a farm or ranch
noun: a member of the crew of a ship
noun: a position given by its location to the side of an object
noun: a rotating pointer on the face of a timepiece
noun: a round of applause to signify approval
noun: a unit of length equal to 4 inches; used in measuring horses
noun: one of two sides of an issue
noun: physical assistance
noun: something written by hand
noun: terminal part of the forelimb in certain vertebrates (e.g. apes or kangaroos): “the kangaroo’s forearms seem undeveloped but the powerful five-fingered hands are skilled at feinting and clouting”- Springfield (Mass.) Union
noun: the cards held in a card game by a given player at any given time
noun: the (prehensile) extremity of the superior limb
Quotes About Hands
We can land men on the moon, but, for all our mechanical and electronic wizardry, we cannot reproduce an artificial fore-finger that can feel as well as beckon.
John Napier
The hand is the cutting edge of the mind.
Jacob Bronowski
The fragrance always remains in the hand that gives the rose.
Heda Bejar
Hold a true friend with both hands.
Nigerian Proverb
Nor do not saw the air too much with your hand, thus, but use all gently.
William Shakespeare, ‘The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark,’Act III, scene ii
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in the power of your hand to do so.
Proverbs 3:27
The art of life is to show your hand.
E. V. Lucas
The best helping hand that you will ever receive is the one at the end of your own arm.
Fred Dehner
The ultimate test of a relationship is to disagree but hold hands.
Alexander Penney
To make a man happy, fill his hands with work.
Frederick E. Crane
