Neanderthal genes shape human noses
The genetics of facial features GWAS of human facial characteristics has been used to explain the genetic causes of different facial features among people. Genomic regions equipped with regulatory elements that are active during craniofacial development have been identified, many of which overlap with developmental genes. These findings have been published mainly in studies conducted on people of European origin. More recently, GWASs that focus on facial features have included non-European populations. Non-European characterization is aiding in the comprehensive understanding of the variable genetic composition and evolution of facial characteristics in humans. Example skulls from a modern human (Native American) and a Neanderthal (Amud 1). The 3D images are reproduced on the scale shown underneath. Nasal height (distance between the nasion and sub-spinale landmarks) is shown as a red line (modern human = 50.2 mm; Neanderthal = 63.8 mm). The modern human image is from the collection of...