Clare / Stockimo / Alamy Stock Photo
Why do our nostrils point down while those of most mammals point straight out from their face?
Richard Mohr
Wombarra, New South Wales, Australia
As an ocean swimmer, I find this facial peculiarity the most convincing bit of evidence for the “waterside ape” hypothesis.
When I dive through a wave or dive down to look at rocks at the bottom of the sea, I am so glad my nostrils don’t point forward, which would force water up them. This orientation would have given a serious evolutionary advantage to primates living near the nutritious riches of the sea and estuaries.
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