Main content

Evolutionary History of the Human Face

We look nothing like our ancient human ancestors. They had big faces, jutting jaws and big teeth. In comparison we're larger-brained and shorter-faced. But why?

We’ve been intensively studying the evolution of the face for decades to work out why we look the way we do. How much of our looks reflect adaptations that enhanced our survival and how much is just stuff that happened. Adam talks to Paul O’Higgins from York University, one of the authors of a big new review of the evolutionary history of the human face.

Available now

14 minutes

Broadcasts

  • Thu 23 May 2019 09:45
  • Fri 24 May 2019 00:30

Explore further with The Open University

±«Óãtv Inside Science is produced in partnership with The Open University.

Podcast