Conny Waters – AncientPages.com – The human face is notably different from that of our fossil relatives and ancestors.
It is characterized by being significantly smaller and more gracile, highlighting the evolutionary changes that have occurred over time.
However, the reasons behind this change remain largely unknown. A team of researchers led by the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology has investigated why and how our species evolved such a unique facial form.
“Our findings reveal that a change in development – particularly during late growth stages – led to smaller faces”, says first author Alexandra Schuh from the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.
“Compared to Neanderthals and chimpanzees who continue growing longer, human facial growth stops earlier, around adolescence, resulting in a smaller adult face.”
Tracking changes in facial size in different species
To reach this conclusion, the researchers tracked changes in facial size across ontogeny, from birth to adulthood, in different species. This allowed them to pinpoint key developmental differences between species.
In this study, the researchers have obtained additional important results. By analysing bone cellular activity, they observed a decline that mirrors the cessation of growth observed around adolescence in humans.
“Identifying key developmental changes allows us to understand how species-specific traits emerged throughout human evolution”, says Schuh.
These results highlight parts of the mechanisms behind cranial gracilization, a process that has shaped the morphology of our species.
Written by Conny Waters – AncientPages.com Staff Writer
