Intro: The Incredible Human Hand (02:18)

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This segment orients viewers to the topic of human hands. Dr. George McGavin will look inside the human hand, meet people whose hands have amazing abilities, and consider the origins of our hands.

Anatomy Museum, Glasgow University (02:38)

Donald Sammut discusses the importance of hands. Dr. Quentin Fogg will lead the hand dissection.

Forearm Dissection (03:56)

Fat is the first layer beneath the skin, followed by muscles; forearm muscles provide power to the hand. Tendons transfer power from the muscle belly to the hand.

Grip Forms (02:23)

Power is the first major hand attribute. Sammut reveals the ways we use hand strength all the time. Grips include: paddle, power grip, and key grip.

Hand Grip Strength (02:56)

Rock climbers trust their lives to their hand strength. McGavin and Ned Feehally undergo a test to compare their hands.

Inside a Climber's Hand (03:04)

Dr. Nigel Callender demonstrates pulley and tendon movement; thicker pulleys and tendons provide a tighter grip. Compare x-rays of a climber's and non-climber's fingers; hands adapt to what we do with them.

Precision (02:47)

Our hands have exceptional fine control and use this dexterity in infinite ways. Magician Kevin McMahon performs "sleight of hand" tricks; the thumb is involved in every trick.

Thumb: the Most Important Digit (02:33)

Experts remove the skin from a hand and discuss the hand's arrangement. Nine muscles control the thumb.

Opposable Thumb (02:30)

90% of thumb movement happens at the base. Sammut explains the saddle joint- the most commonly worn joint in the body.

Origins of the Human Hand (02:50)

Dr. Tracey Kivell explains differences between human and chimpanzee hands and discusses precision grips. She considers the evolution of human hands.

Hand Dexterity (04:12)

The index finger is the one finger we could most do without. Learn about the pinky's importance and how our fingers give us unparalleled fine control. See examples of fine grips.

Finger Joints (02:06)

Fogg reveals the tendon tendons inside our fingers. Each of the last two finger joints has a separate tendon providing strength and flexibility.

Finger Coordination (02:38)

The lumbricus can change the rate of contraction, the rate of flexion, and the angle of our fingers; Fogg demonstrates on the dissected hand.

Sense of Touch (02:25)

Touch is our front-line contact with the world. See the median and ulnar nerves in the dissected hand and learn how nerves work.

Nerve Ends Provide Sensory Information (02:50)

Over 20,000 nerve fibers terminate at the end of each fingertip. Dr. Francis McGlone reveals how sensitive fingertips are compared to other body parts.

Sensory Receptors (01:18)

Underneath the skin, receptors are joined to the end of nerve fibers. We have more receptors in our fingertips than anywhere else on our body. See a Meissner's corpuscle and a Merkel's disk.

Virtual Touch (04:03)

McGavin tests a machine that provides a sense of touch to what he sees on a computer screen. Learn how the machine works by producing various vibrations.

Hand Complexity (02:02)

McGavin reflects on Dr. Ian Summers' virtual touch system and what he learned about the human hand during the making of this film.

Preview: The Incredible Human Foot (00:42)

See excerpts from the film: "Hands & Feet: The Incredible Human Foot."

Credits: Hands & Feet: The Incredible Human Hand (00:43)

Credits: Hands & Feet: The Incredible Human Hand