Because of this, scientists have long suspected that nose shape evolved partly in response to local climate conditions. In a study published in PLOS Genetics on Thursday, the researchers found that nostril width differed significantly among populations from different regions around the world. Advertisement Continue reading the main storyOver all, people whose parents and ancestors came from warm, humid climates tended to have wider nostrils, whereas those from cold, dry climates tended to have narrower ones. Dr. Zaidi and his colleagues also showed that nose shape is a heritable trait. In particular, they found a relationship between shared genes and similarities in nose shape in large groups of unrelated people — an indication that nose shape is largely under genetic control.

Source: New York Times March 16, 2017 22:18 UTC