. Other animals like chimps or gorillas do not possess chins. According to new research, the human chin developed because humans started cooking. Softer food allowed us to chew more quickly and our jaws and teeth shrank. Since long, scientists have known that humans have chins while other animals do not. But, no one has ever been able agree to the cause. According to evolutionary anthropologists, chins are a sign of sexual prowess that helps attract mates. This would account for the success of Hollywood stars like Charlton Heston or Kirk Douglas. Perhaps the long-held belief that celebrities with longer chins are more sexually attractive is a myth. Jay Leno, Kirk Douglas (top left), Jimmy Hill (bottom right) and Bruce Forsyth (bottom left). Both male and female human have chins. A feature that is designed to attract a partner in the animal kingdom can only be found in one sexe. Some believe it was genetic drift, which is the change in genetic makeup caused by random events or natural selection. James Pampush from the Department of Anthropology at The University of Florida conducted a study about the evolution of human chins and published the results in the Journal of Human Evolution. (citation below). Our chins developed soon after we began to cook. Dr. Pampush claims that our chins developed relatively quickly after our ancient ancestors made their meals. This caused our teeth and jaws to shrink as we didn’t have to chew so much. Other primates don’t have chins, which proves that human chin evolved from our primate ancestors. Dr. Pampush argues that the ‘genetic drift” theory cannot be proven because the evolution rate of the human’s chin was seventy-seven percent faster than average genetic changes, so it can’t have happened by chance. The study found that the human chin evolved between 6,000,000 and 200,000 year ago. Dr. Papust believes that the chin began to develop around 2 million years ago. This would be in conjunction with the huge leaps in intelligence and the invention of cooking. Brain growth also occurred with chin evolution. In an interview with The Independent Dr. Pampush stated that he believes it took place around 2 million years ago, when brain sizes increased. Our diet was soft and our teeth were not as large. Homo erectus was larger in body and brain size than the rest. They also used clothing. Although they look very much like humans, their chins were absent. The changes that eventually led to the chin can be attributed to cooking and indirect connections to bigger brains and larger bodies. James D.Pampush. Citation: Selection played a part in the evolution the human chin. Journal of Human Evolution. Published 15 February, 2015. DOI: 10.1016/j.jhevol.2015.02.005. BBC Radio 4 Today Dr. Pampush discusses the evolution of our human chin in this BBC Radio 4 Today program (below).
