Poems and Thoughts    by Frank Maurer

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Why the Difference in Human and Neanderthal Faces? Neanderthals had stout jaws, broad noses, with features jutting forward. Modern humans have modest and meek faces--flat and delicate. The human face stops growing during adolescence (neoteny), While the chimp and Neanderthal faces grow periodically longer, Thus resulting in elongated, more 'robust' features. Bone formation and bone resorption sculpt the facial bones The Neanderthal face demonstrated 'restructuring' for a longer period, The growth projecting forward, especially around the nose and cheeks. This facial form may have aided their breathing and chewing. In humans the early slowing of growth in adolescence, Also showed less bone resorption, thus less cellular activity. This gracilization as for humans, becomes more delicate in form, Yields thinner bones, smaller muscles, and flatter faces. Some reasons why are hypothesized: cooking and eating softer food; Brain size, evolving larger, pushed the face down and in; Or possibly the 'self-domestication' hypothesis, Stating the selection resulted in more sociable, Less aggressive appearing individuals. Compare this to the domestication of dogs Yielding floppy ears, curved tails, and shorter snouts. The 'how' we now know, but the 'why' is yet to be discovered! Frank Maurer 29 March 2025 1830 Hours.