London - Chins are unique to humans, and why we have them is hotly debated among scientists.
For years, the consensus was we evolved chins to protect our jaw and mouth — some have suggested they came about because of our unique speech patterns, protecting tongue muscles as we open our mouths.
Others argue that men and women’s chins have evolved differently to cater for what the other sex finds appealing.
University of Iowa researchers say they have found the answer. “Our study suggests that chin prominence is unrelated to function and probably has more to do with spatial dynamics during development,” says Nathan Holton, professor of orthodontics.
“That is to say that chewing and speaking has little to do with the origin of our chins.
“Our faces have been getting smaller since the time of the Neanderthals. In fact, our faces are 15 percent smaller than they were 200 000 years ago. That difference has made our chin more prominent on our faces.” - Daily Mail