Climate affects nose shapes says Penn State researchers

The nose is one of humanity's most distinctive facial features, but exactly how we came to inherit such diverse shapes and sizes has remained a mystery. But new research which examined differences across populations around the world may have the answer. And it seems that the local climate may have helped to shape variations in the evolution of the nose. Researchers at Pennsylvania State University used 3D imaging to examine the nasal characteristics of 140 people. Dr Mark Shriver and his colleague Arslan Zaidi looked at the width of the nostrils, distance between nostrils, height of the nose, nose ridge length, nose protrusion, external area of the nose and the area of the nostrils. They examined the distribution of these traits across distinct global populations and compared them with temperatures and humidity in each area.