Why are toenails thicker than fingernails?
Rachel, Kankakee, Illinois A: Friction and fungus thicken toenails. Toenails take a beating from socks, shoes, and generally being at the foot end of the human body where the weight bearing goes on. Theyre made from the same dead skin tissue as fingernails but are two to three times thicker. Nail fungus is another culprit, affecting 30 million Americans. The fungus destroys the protective outer layer of nails (the keratin) and causes the nail to go into overproduction. The excess becomes thick, yellowed, and hard. Toenails take a beating. [Corel] Hatching eggs Q: In your recent article on tough eggs, you say the chick picks the more fragile middle “side” of the egg to peck its way out. This sounds like the hatchling has some choice in the matter doesnt it start pecking where its beak is? Kevin, Penyn, California A: The hatchling, as it happens, does have a choice in the matter. He turns himself so his beak can access the bubble of air at the blunt end of the egg. That’s his first breat
