It's Thanks to Evolution That No Two Faces Are Alike

From bug eyes to aquiline noses, square jaws to chin dimples, no two faces are alike. That diversity may have evolved to make it easier to recognize other people, researchers reported on Tuesday.

Human faces show an amazing diversity of features, as seen in images from National Geographic's "The Changing Face of America."


No two people look alike, even twins have some slight differences in their appearance. My best friend is an identical twin, after knowing her and her sister for over 20 years, they look nothing alike to me. Why are humans faces so unique?

Is there evolutionary purpose to why no two human faces are exactly alike? Researchers are saying yes there is possibly an evolutionary pressure for recognition.

There are many situations in which it might be evolutionarily costly to be confused with another person...

Even the genes for facial structures are different than other body parts.

What's more, genes that have been linked to face structure vary more than DNA in other regions of the body.
This suggests that the forces of evolution have selected for facial diversity, perhaps to make individuals more recognizable to other people, the researchers say.

While certain variables of other body parts can be predictable, for example people with long arms usually have long legs, faces on the other hand aren't predicable.

Sheehan's team found that most body parts are internally consistent: If a person's hand is wide, it's usually long, too. Face parts, in contrast, are not predictable. "You mix and match," Sheehan jokes, "like Mister Potato Head."

The "Mister Potato Head" comment reminded me of how composite sketches are created, with templates of facial features mixed and matched to create a composite sketch of someone, very interesting and a very good comparison to Mister Potato Head."

Facial diversity started occurring long before modern humans evolved. Researchers compared the DNA of a modern human against that of a Neanderthal and a Denisovan.

In both the modern and ancient DNA, two genes—one related to the distance between the chin and bridge of the nose, and the other to nose shape—had similar levels of variability, suggesting that facial diversity evolved before modern humans did.
That high level of genetic variability probably means that evolutionary forces are at play in shaping the diversity of faces, the authors say.

As with any hypothesis there is a change it's wrong and that there's another explanation to why facial diversity started happening other than for recognition, such as the possibility of it occurring by chance or even because of inbreeding.

The increased genetic variability is consistent with the idea of evolution selecting for facial uniqueness, but that explanation is "hardly definitive," notes T. Ryan Gregory, a biologist at the University of Guelph in Ontario.
Genetic diversity could alternatively have arisen because of recent interbreeding of previously distinct populations, or even just by chance, he says.

It makes sense that we are all unique for recognition purposes and not because of the recent inbreeding mishaps or some other nonsense.

We are born wired to recognize faces and other objects.

"Humans are phenomenally good at recognizing faces; there is a part of the brain specialized for that," Sheehan said. "Our study now shows that humans have been selected to be unique and easily recognizable. It is clearly beneficial for me to recognize others, but also beneficial for me to be recognizable. Otherwise, we would all look more similar."

It would be interesting to know if Neanderthals, Denisovans and whatever else possibly came before them, always had unique facial structures. Was there a time when everyone looked exactly the same, kind of like the grey's? That would be a spooky place to live.

It's also interesting to note that there are many other species that use faces to identify individuals. Sheep are one such species, their faces just aren't as variable and complex as human faces are.

A team of British scientists has shown that sheep are able to recognize the individual faces of at least 50 sheep and remember them for more than two years.

"Sheep, like humans, have specialized areas in the brain for face recognition," said Kendrick, and they have a separate system, far less specific, for dealing with the recognition of other objects, such as rocks and trees.

The wasp is another species that uses facial recognition to identify individuals within the group.

Are you one of those people who never forgets a face? You've got some company in the animal kingdom—the wasp. Scientists have discovered that Polistes fuscatus paper wasps can recognize and remember each other's faces with sharp accuracy, a new study suggests.

Sources:
1. It's Thanks to Evolution That No Two Faces Are Alike, Study Finds
2. Human faces are so variable because we evolved to look unique
3. Sheep Are Highly Adept at Recognizing Faces, Study Shows
4. Wasps Can Recognize Faces: Social species relies on recognition to keep the peace, study suggests.

a reply to: Jennyfrenzy

My best mate is an identical twin and it always spins me out how similar yet different (physical and mental) the two of them are.

What really trips me out is that, over the years, I have seen quite a few people who look eerily similar to people I know, except I'm usually seeing this person in another country. Doppelgangers



Excellent subject matter OP - S&F

I'd imagine facial recognition is important for sexual selection, it would be much easier to become attracted to a particular person if you can remember particular features about them, rather than if everyone looked the same.

That was an interesting read, particularly for me because of a difficulty I have with facial recognition. Some people call it face blindness, but the medical term is prosopagnosia. If I don't see you on a daily basis I forget what you look like and don't recognize you the next time we meet.

I use certain clues to help me, like a distinctive walk, a hair style, maybe a mole or blemish, but mostly it's location that helps. I remember where certain people are most of the time. If you're out of place though, like approaching me on the street, most of the time I'm faking knowing who you are until enough other clues are given to me during conversation that allow me to know who you are.

It's embarrassing at times, and most people don't understand how you could forget them in just a few short days, but most people get that part of it wrong. I haven't forgotten you, I remember everything we've ever done together. I just don't know what you look like most of the time.

evolution i doubt as its fake ,maybe we are just unique,,,evolution is still a theory as in science to be proved it has to be observed and it has not been observed

That was an interesting read and something I had never really thought of before, its amazing how varied something as simple as a human face can be.

As for Sublimecraft's comment about doppelgangers I would imagine that in some point in history (or in the future) there will have been or will be someone that looks extremely like you, there will only be so much variation there can be.

a reply to: stuthealien

A scientific theory is completely different from the everyday use of the word theory. And yes, evolution has been observed both in the lab and in the wild.

The inhabitants of the Pitcairn island bear a striking resemblance to each other, as the population is about 50, and visitors used to be few and far between, I expect these days the resemblance is fading.

a reply to: stuthealien

Evolution HAS been "observed", you can dig a effing hole and find fossils or you can visit a museum and research your transitional species and whatever you want
However, what has not *observed* are deities and basically a majority of what the bible claims. This is why it's called BELIEF/FAITH. Because it's not observed, rather believed.

originally posted by: NoRulesAllowed
a reply to: stuthealien

Evolution HAS been "observed", you can dig a effing hole and find fossils or you can visit a museum and research your transitional species and whatever you want
However, what has not *observed* are deities and basically a majority of what the bible claims. This is why it's called BELIEF/FAITH. Because it's not observed, rather believed.

Then by your description you have faith that George Washington existed, or did he, since you couldn't have "observed" him? And if you even care to dig effing fossils then maybe you should look into the archeology of the bible and stop blowing off people beliefs with arrogance and ignorance and try education.

a reply to: Jennyfrenzy

Is there evolutionary purpose to why no two human faces are exactly alike? Researchers are saying yes there is possibly an evolutionary pressure for recognition.

Very interesting thread. I would like to point out that purpose cannot come from purposelessness. Purpose implies intent, and unintention cannot create intention. Intention is by design. While we see the differentiation of faces as a evolution of seed diversity among humanity, our current understanding natural law and physics implies that evolution cannot come apart from involution. Evolution is a result and not the cause. Involution is the cause.

Like information, it is informed, or formed within. Seed is planted inside, then comes forth as the form it dictates. An oak tree is not the acorn and the acorn is not the oak tree. Each form carries the same seed, and the seed itself is the image of both the acorn and it's information shell (seed). Information makes the face.

If you approach this from the perspective of a catalyst in nature, all things that appear in nature format the material they are embedded in. Informed information is the key to seeing this. What is the material shell of the human body? Where does the information come from that forms within that shell? Obviously, it comes from outside the shell, but not the outside we typically associate with in and out. This in and out is by dimension.

To get this, define the word Orthogonal (of or involving right angles; at right angles.) Variety must be statistically dependent. For a face to be different, it is dependent on the quantity that is statistically independent. To view the right angle aspect of this, imagine a 1D line. Many 1D lines make a 2D plane. They are Orthogonal, or at right angles. Move to the next right angle from 2D to 3D and you have the human face. The human face then changes states in time, or at right angles in space from motion (4D). What is at right angles to time? Probability. Where is probability in relation to the 3 dimensions below of mater? Again, what is independent of the statistical variety?

Once you get this, you know the golden key to evolution. Involution is the key that shows you the variety based on the independent archetype. The Seed is the archetype, but not its shell. It's the information inside.

Why do we know that a horse is not a dog? Why is a human face and that of a monkey different? They are from a differing independent archetypes. The dependent archetype then has variety, but never apart from its independent archetype.

Involution. Involution is based on a set of independent designs that do not change. This is proven by the laws that govern symmetry. The Strong Force in nature is the law of invariant symmetry. Proton and Neutron are governed by this law. Electrons do not follow the law, therefore, we have a multiplicity of elements, all of which, are based on the independent variable of invariant symmetry. In other words, it does not change. This is where the electron comes in. It follows translational symmetry, or translating what is governed by the invariant symmetry that does not change. Electrons are the variable.

Take it from any right angle you want, but evolution is a result and not a cause. The cause is the independent variable and it never changes. It's the anchor that holds the species.

Faces are a translation from the original image.

Genesis 1

27 So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

Colossians 1

15 The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16 For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. 17 He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

They are all held together by the Strong Force, or Aleph (Strong) Bet (House) (Father in Hebrew). What do the letters of the Aleph Bet hold together as the anchor holding the shell?

John 1

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome[a] it.

Word (Chains and links of letters), or DNA. Baptism is involution so that the form can rise to new life (Evolution).

Good morning! I believe you mean no two people look exactly alike or identical. Many people look alike. I am someone who is really good at remembering faces but can't remember names to save my life. On many occasions I have run into people I know but can't recall from where. For example once it was a girl I had went to kindergarten with and on another occasion it was a guy I saw at a concert that I had worked with in a completely different state. I think diversity in facial features is a way of nature making sure that not only do we have unique DNA or a unique fingerprint but also a unique appearance. As far as people looking alike, I see it all the time. Sometimes it will be a completely different ethnicity or age and I am convinced I’m seeing the same exact person just in a different body.

originally posted by: Jennyfrenzy

My best friend is an identical twin, after knowing her and her sister for over 20 years, they look nothing alike to me. Why are humans faces so unique?

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My sisters are identical twins and were indistinguishable from each other when they were young.

Only after time, and separate lives led, did they start to develop differences.

Identical twins are different on the inside. One gets a double left brain and the other a double right.

This leads them to make different choices which consequently affect the way they change.

For example, one of my sisters had children, the other did not; obviously this would make them look different.

It is no wonder that after "20 years" they look "nothing alike" to you.

originally posted by: Psynic

Identical twins are different on the inside. One gets a double left brain and the other a double right.

That doesn't sound credible. Got a source for that?

a reply to: Jennyfrenzy

Nice find OP.

I think aesthetics plays an important part in evolution. Even the slightest change in appearance could rule out the chances of interbreeding and therefore strengthen the gene pool.

originally posted by: GetHyped
originally posted by: Psynic

"My Identical twin sisters are different on the inside. One got a double left brain and the other a double right."

That doesn't sound credible. Got a source for that?

Fixed it for you.

Identical twins are created by the splitting of the embryo along the sagittal plane.

I suspect the timing of this division relative to the brains development affects the degree to which this polarity is evident.

originally posted by: Thecakeisalie
a reply to: Jennyfrenzy

Nice find OP.

I think aesthetics plays an important part in evolution. Even the slightest change in appearance could rule out the chances of interbreeding and therefore strengthen the gene pool.

Hmmm? Perhaps, but perhaps there are more powerful factors than appearance.

Identical twins can demonstrate what I refer to.

One of my twin sisters is very feminine, which is a right brain characteristic, and had children. Very exceptionally gifted children, I might add. Both top percentile, scholastically and athletically. The other twin has the left brain characteristics of masculinity and is an over achiever in society and career. She will not be procreating.

It's as if the division of the brain and delayed generation of the opposing hemisphere creates a double-left and double-right pair of clones.

a reply to: AlephBet

tl;dr

a reply to: Psynic

What I forgot to mention was that when I first met them, yes it was difficult to distinguish between the two sisters. Then after about a week, there was no issue with identifying one sister from the other. My best friend has a freckle by her eye that her sister doesn't have and other minor identifying facial structure differences. Of course after knowing them for 20 years I have no problem, at all. They look nothing alike anymore.

For my best friends bachelorette party, we went to a club in San Francisco and my best friend forgot her ID at home, her twin sister had her ID with her. My BFF and her twin were in tears because she didn't think the bouncers would believe her and her sister were twins. It took convincing from the rest of the group to try use one ID for the twins, everyone knew it would work, they even dressed identical that night. When we got to the door the first thing the bouncers said was...TWINS!!!!! The bouncers obviously knew they two girls were identical twins and let them both in with the one ID. Both sisters couldn't believe that the bouncer believed them!

I knew it wouldn't be a problem because to people that don't actually "know" the twins as individuals would look at the two of them and exclaim how identical they are.

a reply to: Sublimecraft

Twins are really interesting to watch. My best friend and her sister can just look at each other and know what the other is thinking, it's pretty trippy.

Dopplegangers are really interesting, there was an article I read a few months ago about facial templates. I was trying to find it because I thought it would fit in with the thread, couldn't find it, I'll keep looking for it today, you'd probably find it interesting too!

I've always wondered why humans look so unique, glad you enjoyed the read too!