“Here, we find that some DNA inherited from Neanderthals influences the shape of our faces. One region of Neanderthal origin, ATF3, encoded the longer Neanderthal noses. The researchers found 33 genome regions that corresponded to facial features. The study led by the University College London used special software to place 106 points on the faces, landmarks covering the eyes, nose, mouth, temples and chin. This was compared to photographs of their faces, which measured the distances between specific points, such as that between the tip of the nose and the edge of the lips. The new study relied on data from about 6,000 people recruited from Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico and Peru, all of which submitted DNA. We descended from a common ancestor and remained genetic kissing cousins, after all. Humans and Neanderthals shared much DNA, as we learned from the sequencing of the first Neanderthal genome in 2010.
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