Did we humans take it on the chin?

So, ‘modern’ humans and our now extinct ancestors, Neanderthals, got it on 1,00,000 years ago, some 40,000 years earlier than previously deduced. And it wasn’t a one-night stand either, given recently revealed DNA evidence of successive encounters and interbreeding at the frenetic prehistoric pace of every several thousand years. However, now that we know it was mutual attraction, could we also now finally know why we have chins? Is that what separates the Neanderthals from the boys (and girls) who eventually prevailed? After all, our ancestors also boasted of big brains but they died out and none of them (or any other species on the planet) have chins. So, this inexplicable part of the human anatomy —ranking even above even the appendix in mystery — is our most distinguishing feature.

Scientists are not convinced that chins evolved as a result of modern human jaws needing an extra bone to help with chewing, as an outer reinforcement like the chin hardly serves the purpose. Nor does is it especially help enunciation, considering speech is another feature we like to consider uniquely human. And if it is a by-product of sexual selection, we are the only species to have both genders evolving it. Since chinless Neanderthals are extinct and we aren’t, this angle clearly deserves more careful investigation.