Prompt Cast
The Evolution and Purpose of Human Body Hair
TLDR Humans have body hair for various reasons, including regulating body heat, protecting from UV radiation, and potentially amplifying pheromones. The growth and phases of hair follicles vary in different parts of the body, and excessive hair growth can be both genetic and acquired.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
Humans have body hair.
03:15
Humans have body hair, and the growth and phases of hair follicles vary in different parts of the body.
06:29
After birth, babies grow fine unpigmented hair called vellus, which eventually gives way to coarser terminal hairs during puberty, including the hair found under the armpits and around the genital area.
09:51
Humans started losing their hair when they became bipeds, which exposed more of their bodies to the sun, and the theories for why this happened include the need to regulate body heat and protect from UV radiation, as well as the possibility that early humans were water-dwelling or moved from forests to open savannas.
13:14
The MC1R gene, which produces either a dark or lighter pigment depending on sun exposure, has remained unchanged in Africans for at least the last 1.2 million years, suggesting that humans have been hairless for that long.
16:47
Hypertrichosis, or excessive hair growth, can be both a genetic and acquired condition, and there are various cosmetic treatments available to help manage it.
20:01
The hypothesis behind why humans have body hair, including armpit hair, is that these areas are where we produce the most pheromones, and the hair acts as an amplifier for these pheromones.
23:27
The hosts apologize for mispronouncing HPV and making other mistakes, and mention some corrections and additional information provided by listeners.
Categories:
Society & Culture
