[Alas Babylon!]

This was answered a few years ago by studying lice. You see, apes only have one species of lice, but humans have two: The hair louse, and the body louse. The body louse cannot live in human head hair, and needs clothing to survive. Scientists think at one time these two different species were one, but split when humans started wearing clothing.

Study of lice DNA shows humans first wore clothes 170,000 years ago

[SunkenCiv]

Thanks Alas Babylon!.

• Head and body lice appear to be the same species, genetic study finds (Cooties is Cooties)
• Lice DNA Study Shows Humans First Wore Clothes 170,000 Years Ago
• UF study of lice DNA shows humans first wore clothes 170,000 years ago
• Lice hang ancient date on first clothes: Genetic analysis puts origin at 190,000 years ago
• Freedom from lice may have led to modern allergies
• Human Evolution: Tale of the Y
• Lice offer clues to origin of clothing
• Why Humans and Their Fur Parted Ways