Clothing is a term that refers to a covering for the human body that is worn. The wearing of clothing is exclusively a human characteristic and is a feature of nearly all human societies. The amount and type of clothing worn depends on physical, social and geographic considerations. Physically, clothing serves many purposes; it can serve as protection from the elements, it can enhance safety during hazardous activities such as hiking and cooking. It protects humans from rough surfaces by providing a barrier between the skin and the environment. Clothes can protect humans from insect bites or... splinters. Clothes can regulate temperature in the cold or heat. Further, it can provide a hygienic barrier, keeping toxins away from the body and limiting the transmission of germs. Clothing also provides protection from harmful UV radiation. There is no easy way to determine when clothing was first developed, but the study of the evolutionary history of lice has generated some interesting results.
more