Hair

Humans can have the longest hair of any animal. It does not grow everywhere at the same length but it is a cornerstone of expression for many. The way we treat and style hair can say volumes. Style is a largely human feature resulting from our developed image of self. A difference seen between other apes and humans is where hair grows and the terminal length it reaches. The images shown in media of cavemen depict people with similar form and gait as well as still being fully covered in hair. What would style be like were our prime patches of hair not atop our body? What would we be like with hair flowing from our present faces and wondering around by other means? Would clothes highlight bodies differently if all hair grew from one patch on the back or an arm?

The missing links in the way development is traced can underline the reasons and paths that got us to the present. The various types and textures of hair seen in people can be for many reasons. Selective breeding in pets today highlights and emphasizes different features over generations. Conscious selection within a population or placed upon it can change the number of types of a trait seen from a handful to a spectrum.

The Yeti and Sasquatch are lore that focus on creatures with hair spread across the entire body. These creatures showing what is a possible step in human development inspire, in many, a mix of wonder and fear. What can hair length say about the behaviors, movements, or development of different creatures? What would learning more varied style do for grooming habits and complex social development of animals in the wild? Can thought or connection to others be tied to hair or styling? Would the art created differ? The links in nature we do not get to see can offer an intriguing view into what is possible for how the world can be viewed.