Hair Origin and Design
by Owen Borville
August 6, 2020
Biology
Hair is known as a common body feature or organ of humans and mammals that extends from the skin surface. However, other animals in the supposed evolutionary line do not have hair, such as fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Therefore, how did mammals and humans acquire hair outside of a special creation event by an Intelligent Designer? The average human head has about 100,000 hairs. How could non-mammals not have hair at all and suddenly mammals have hair that covers their entire body?
The proposed evolutionary ancestor of the mammals is the synapsid, an animal whose artistic renderings look like a mammal or dinosaur and supposedly existed 300 million years ago. Skeletal remains of the synapsids offer little indication of hair on the bodies of these animals. Therefore, hair appears to have occurred suddenly in mammals with no evolutionary history, as part of a special creation from an Intelligent Designer.
Hair is composed of keratin. The hair follicle is part of the skin that grows hair by packing old cells together. The papilla is a large structure at the base of the hair follicle which is made up mainly of connective tissue and a capillary loop. From 50 to 150 strands of hair are shed per day in humans and these grow back. Hair is the second fastest growing tissue after bone marrow and grows at a rate of about six inches per year. A strand of hair is stronger than a copper wire with the same diameter. A single strand of hair can support up to 6.5 pounds of weight and a whole head of hair can support up to two tons. The amount of melanin determines the color of hair, just like the skin. Much design is evident in the hair, as part of a special creation.
Hair Functions
Body Temperature Regulation: Hair provides heat insulation and cooling when sweat evaporates from soaked hair. In addition to sweat glands in skin, there are sweat glands inside hair follicles that help regulate body temperature. When the body is cold, the arrector pili muscles found attached to hair follicles stand up or contract, causing the hair in these follicles to do the same. These hairs then form a heat-trapping layer above the epidermis in a process known as goose bumps. The opposite process occurs when the body is warm, as the arrector muscles make the hair lie flat on the skin which allows heat to leave. Design is evident. Hair follicles also have glands which secrete oils that lubricate and waterproof the skin.
Sensory Function: Nerve receptors on hair follicles connect to the brain and detect vibration and movement, along with nerve receptors in the skin. Hairs can sense movement of air in addition to touch from objects to provide awareness. Eyelashes are very sensitive hairs that sense and help protect from harmful material like dirt and dust. The eyebrows provide protection to the eyes from dirt, sweat, and fluids. Design is evident.
Camouflage: Polar Bears have hair color matching with the ice to help them sneak up on prey. Many other mammals have hair color that helps them camouflage with their surroundings.
by Owen Borville
August 6, 2020
Biology
Hair is known as a common body feature or organ of humans and mammals that extends from the skin surface. However, other animals in the supposed evolutionary line do not have hair, such as fish, amphibians, and reptiles. Therefore, how did mammals and humans acquire hair outside of a special creation event by an Intelligent Designer? The average human head has about 100,000 hairs. How could non-mammals not have hair at all and suddenly mammals have hair that covers their entire body?
The proposed evolutionary ancestor of the mammals is the synapsid, an animal whose artistic renderings look like a mammal or dinosaur and supposedly existed 300 million years ago. Skeletal remains of the synapsids offer little indication of hair on the bodies of these animals. Therefore, hair appears to have occurred suddenly in mammals with no evolutionary history, as part of a special creation from an Intelligent Designer.
Hair is composed of keratin. The hair follicle is part of the skin that grows hair by packing old cells together. The papilla is a large structure at the base of the hair follicle which is made up mainly of connective tissue and a capillary loop. From 50 to 150 strands of hair are shed per day in humans and these grow back. Hair is the second fastest growing tissue after bone marrow and grows at a rate of about six inches per year. A strand of hair is stronger than a copper wire with the same diameter. A single strand of hair can support up to 6.5 pounds of weight and a whole head of hair can support up to two tons. The amount of melanin determines the color of hair, just like the skin. Much design is evident in the hair, as part of a special creation.
Hair Functions
Body Temperature Regulation: Hair provides heat insulation and cooling when sweat evaporates from soaked hair. In addition to sweat glands in skin, there are sweat glands inside hair follicles that help regulate body temperature. When the body is cold, the arrector pili muscles found attached to hair follicles stand up or contract, causing the hair in these follicles to do the same. These hairs then form a heat-trapping layer above the epidermis in a process known as goose bumps. The opposite process occurs when the body is warm, as the arrector muscles make the hair lie flat on the skin which allows heat to leave. Design is evident. Hair follicles also have glands which secrete oils that lubricate and waterproof the skin.
Sensory Function: Nerve receptors on hair follicles connect to the brain and detect vibration and movement, along with nerve receptors in the skin. Hairs can sense movement of air in addition to touch from objects to provide awareness. Eyelashes are very sensitive hairs that sense and help protect from harmful material like dirt and dust. The eyebrows provide protection to the eyes from dirt, sweat, and fluids. Design is evident.
Camouflage: Polar Bears have hair color matching with the ice to help them sneak up on prey. Many other mammals have hair color that helps them camouflage with their surroundings.
