new thread
Just a little tidbit from the website www.survival.com (which I highly recommend for anyone who spends time outdoors), regarding long hair. Thought y'all might appreciate this:
"Radiation heat loss was recognized by the body long ago and through some act of genetic engineering the head grew lots of hair (some are luckier in this respect than others). Hair grown to full length will cover the head and neck with a good insulating material that maintains some of its value even when it is wet. If you have long hair and it can cover your neck, try to arrange it to give your neck maximum protection." -Ron Hood
There are many theories why humans have long head hair and/or why we have functionally no body hair, some of them having nothing to do with staying warm or cool respectively. I have written about some of them in a previous thread. The truth is that really nobody knows!
There is no doubt, though, that we lose a lot of heat from our heads, and that lots of hair provides insulation. I was out yesterday wearing a T-shirt and a long sleeve shirt. About 90% of the other people about had on a sweatshirt or jacket of some kind. Years ago, when I had less hair, I was about the most cold-blooded guy around, and I would be the most bundled up. Now I'm at the other end of the spectrum.
What percent of body heat is lost through the neck and head? Numbers you'll read vary, because "how well the rest of you is insulated" affects the result. However, the figures usually seen are greater than 50%! Insulating the neck and head matters more than insulating anywhere else, and that is where we do grow the most hair.
"Why" is getting into the creation argument, and I'll not go there. [grin]
Bill
I'm sure you are right about heat loss through the head being so important. This is probably because heat rises.
I wrote in another thread about the aquatic ape theory versus the savannah theory, and also about neoteny. These are interesting explanations if anyone wants to Google them, but nobody really knows which one is right, if any. Of course, for creationists it all comes down to "because God says so".