Professor Stuart Burgess on how the intricate design of the human hand points to our creator
We often take for granted the incredible skill and sensitivity of our hands. And yet all of us perform skilful tasks every day such as typing, writing, tying shoe laces, preparing food and putting on clothes.
When we use our hands to do a delicate task like playing a musical instrument, then the speed and precision of the human hand becomes particularly apparent. Highly trained musicians can play over ten notes per second with great accuracy and feeling.
Humbling activity
I have been involved in designing robots for medical and spacecraft applications and have studied the human hand in detail. It has been a humbling activity, because the human hand is so supremely well designed it is impossible to match its performance even with the best of man-made technology.
The human hand consists of a myriad of integrated parts that work together with precision beyond even the most advanced rocket science. There are about 35 muscles, 26 bones, numerous ligaments and tendons and a whole network of nerves and blood vessels.
The hand is enclosed in a flexible skin that has thousands of sensors, including touch sensors, pain sensors and temperature sensors. There are even sweat glands for cooling and oil glands to lubricate the skin.
One key reason why the fingers are so agile is that they have no muscles in them. Instead, fingers have slender band-like tendons that connect the bones of the fingers to muscles in the hand and forearm. The tendons are kept in accurate alignment by a set of guide rings and lubricated with synovial fluid.
The design of the tendon systems in the hand is nothing short of astonishing. On the palm of the hand there are two sets of tendons. The tendons in one of these tendon systems split into two on each finger so that they miss the first finger joint. This allows the fingers to be moved in many different ways, including curling and rotation of a straight finger around the knuckle.
The back of the hand has just one set of tendons but these split into three on each finger to enable a myriad of movements. The index finger has seven muscles so that it can move sideways as well as up and down.
The pinch grip
One of the unique and key skills of the human hand is the pinch grip that can be made between each finger and the thumb. Humans have such a delicate touch that they can pick up a grain of sand weighing just one milligram (one millionth of a kg).
A human fingertip is so sensitive it can feel a ridge just 13 nanometres in height (one millionth of 13mm). Such sensitivity would never have been needed if humans had evolved from an ape-like creature to be hunter gatherers. However, such sensitivity is exactly what would be expected if God had created humans to be creative skilful beings and stewards of creation.
The human brain also shows how the hands are designed for skill. About a quarter of the motor cortex – the part of the brain that controls muscles – is dedicated to the hands. This shows that we have been given the computer hardware and software to perform skilful tasks with our hands.
Hands are not just for working. God wants us to use our hands to enjoy activities like music, sport, craftwork, cooking, gardening and looking after animals. In addition, God wants us to use our hands to look after His creation.
The design and performance of the human hand provide wonderful confirmation that we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). In addition, the human hand is a great challenge to atheism.
Designed for skill not fighting
According to the atheistic worldview, the human hand can be explained in terms of the need to form a fist for fist fighting and the need to make a power grip for club fighting and spear throwing. But the clear scientific evidence is that our hands are designed for skill, not for fighting. Christians do not believe in a Creator by blind faith, but by a faith that is supported by ‘things that are seen’ (Romans 1:20).
It is amazing to think that Jesus, the Creator of hands, used His hands for many years to perform carpentry work. He then used His hands to perform healing on many.
Sadly, sinful men put nails through the precious hands that made the stars of the universe. Thankfully, Jesus rose from the dead and His hands are fully functioning -though still bearing the marks of the cross. Those hands are now preparing a place for God’s people in heaven. What a wonderful place that will be!
