Curious Folks Ask 1 & 2 (Bundle)

3. Body parts

Toe the line

Why do some people, like me, have second toes that are longer than their big toes? Is it a genetic specificity? Is it a characteristic that occurs more in women than in men, or more in particular ethnic groups?

You are in good company. The Statue of Liberty has short big toes, or what is referred to as the Greek foot. Lady Liberty’s sculptor, Frédéric Auguste Bartholdi, was trained in the classical tradition, and Greek and Roman statues often have short big toes. Leonardo da Vinci drew skeletons with Greek feet, rather than so-called Egyptian feet, in which the big toe is longest.

Some cultures have considered short big toes to be a sign of intelligence. (Disclaimer: I have Greek feet.) Unfortunately, Greek feet ...