Neanderthal DNA dictates the shape of a person's nose.
Neanderthal DNA shapes a person's nose
A new study led by researchers at University College London has discovered that a particular gene, which leads to a taller nose, could have been the product of natural selection as ancient humans adapted to colder climates when they left Africa.
The team used data from more than 6,000 people across Latin America with a mix of ancestry and compared genetic information to photos of their faces and noted similarities in face shape.
Dr. Kaustubh Adhikari, who led the study, said: "In the last 15 years, since the Neanderthal genome has been sequenced, we have been able to learn that our own ancestors apparently interbred with Neanderthals, leaving us with little bits of their DNA.
"Here, we find that some DNA inherited from Neanderthals influences the shape of our faces.
"This could have been helpful to our ancestors, as it has been passed down for thousands of generations."