This video explores the question of why cutting a fingernail doesn't hurt. Iberê investigates the function of fingernails, their composition (keratin), and tests the effect of a hair removal cream on both hair and fingernails.
Key Takeaways
Fingernails protect the fingertips and serve as tools for various tasks (like opening things or scraping).
Fingernails, hair, and animal hooves/horns are primarily made of keratin, a fibrous protein.
Under a microscope, fingernails exhibit a layered, scaly structure.
A hair removal cream, when applied to fingernails, softens and weakens them significantly, demonstrating the shared composition with hair.
The lack of pain when cutting fingernails is because the nail itself is dead tissue, lacking nerves and blood vessels once it grows beyond the skin.
