Tall, small, wide, narrow, long or short, upturned, or prominent, humans inherit the shape of the nose from their parents, but its appearance would in fact have been altered by a long process of adaptation to our climate, according to the results of a study published in the medical journal PLOS Genetics.
Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania in the United States examined the noses of 476 volunteers, whose ancestors lived in South and East Asia, West Africa or Northern Europe. The measurements were performed using 3D facial imaging, looking at the width of the nostrils, the distance between the nostrils, the height of the nose, the nose along the ridge, the nose protrusion, outer area of the nose and the area. nostrils.
This study revealed a link between climate and the shape of the nose. Indeed, scientists have observed that the nostrils are more or less wide depending on the temperatures to which they have been exposed.
The nostrils are shaped to keep the air warm and humid
“The results of the study indicate that wider noses are more common in hot, humid climates, while narrower noses are more common in dry and cold climates,” says Mark Shriver, professor of anthropology, author of the study.
The purpose of the nose is to condition the inhaled air so that it remains warm and moist. Narrow nostrils seem to alter the airflow so that the mucous membranes inside the nose can moisten and warm it more effectively. “It was probably essential to have that specificity in cold, dry climates,” said Mark Shriver. People with narrow nostrils resisted better and had more offspring than people with wide nostrils in cold climates. This has led to a gradual decrease in nose width in populations living far from the equator. Conversely, the study confirms that people whose ancestors lived in hot and humid climatic zones had large nostrils.
The author recalls that there must also be an aesthetic selection according to cultures.
“If a whole group thinks that a small nose is better, then people with large noses will be less successful. Over time, the size of the nose in the group will decrease compared to other groups where large noses are favored. These notions of beauty can be linked to the way the nose has adapted to the local climate, ”concludes the researcher.
Sniffing out the influence of selection on human nose shape #evolution – @PLOSGeneticshttps://t.co/MjIZXUrT6B
– Sam Million-Weaver (@millionweaver) March 17, 2017
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