A chimpanzee’s toes are long and splayed, and its big toe equivalent pulls away from the other digits like a thumb: a prehensile foot designed for quick climbing. By contrast, in the human foot, the sole is enlarged while the bone of the big toe is thickened and aligned with the other, now-foreshortened toes: This is a sturdy platform, able to support an upright load in motion. So now we know how our feet with their 52 bones are different from a chimp’s feet. Did this change occur by accident over eons of time? If you believe that then I have some oceanfront property in “Arid Zone Uh” to sell you at a bargain price.
Steven Clark Goad
Blythe, CA