Question: What is the point of the hair on our head?

This is a baffling one. If it was there only for warmth, then why does it keep growing so uncontrollably. The world’s longest documented hair belongs to Xie Qiuping from China who grew her hair to reach 5.627 m.

It was Charles Darwin who first suggested that we evolved our brains not to promote physical, but sexual, survival — and could our hair serve the same purpose. Just as the peacock tail serves no use but to gladden a peahen’s eye, our locks of hair may attract attention from those passing by.

Men and women compete for each other, and the brightest, most cunning wits get more, and fitter, partners. Has evolution selected for intelligence – and for hair? The person who radically shapes his hair, exploiting its continuous growth to demonstrate his on-going Neanderthal chic, is more likely to attract partners than the person whose hair is dull, lifeless and matted.

Of course, our brains use about 20% of our body’s total energy and accordingly generate a lot of heat. This in turn leaves the head as a danger zone for heat loss. Hair can stop this, like wearing a beanie.

Still, the question remains, why does it keep growing?