Types of Noses/Shapes
Evolution
The human homosapien's development from the Pre-human (Australopithecus) has seen an inverted shift of the face, making the brain and cranium triple in size while the lower parts of the face contracted. This reduction coupled with retreated jaws, left our prominent nose as a distinctive human feature. The upright protruding shape provides the modern human face with a fundamentally vertical profile, in manifest contrast to other species.
Just like unrelated features of our body such as our skin, eyes, lips and height, this essential organ did not result in being universal worldwide. Many types of noses/shapes have developed. Various traits and characteristics can be attributed to a person’s racial descent.
Racial backgrounds
Evolution has played a role in shaping the nose, which has adapted differently to various cultures to suit the climate of their origin. For example, Europeans have a longer nose to cope with the harsh winters. The larger surface area gives the mucous membrane greater opportunity to warm and moisten the crisp cool air on its way to the lungs.
It is not known why various cultures have developed unsightly distinctive features such as the well known Hispanic drooping tip and the Greek nasal hump. Further pages of this site delve more deeply into the different qualities among various cultures and ethnic backgrounds.
Types of noses/shapes for identification police purposes
Attaining corresponding nasal characteristics becomes increasingly difficult when trying to match age dependent attributes. Morphological changes that occur include the nostrils narrowing and the nose becoming more prominent, taking on an upward and posterior shift. This change is less pronounced in African American and other wider types of noses.
Distinctive features of the nose are used for facial recognition purposes based geometrical features and template matching. The primary method was based on frontal view comparisons. With the increase of surveillance mechanisms such as CCTV, finding a method of matching facial and nose facets with variations in angle rotation, lighting, facial expression and pose and became increasingly important.
Despite the difficulties and setbacks, comparing the types of noses/shapes remains an important part of personal identification.
Men and Women
Males generally have larger noses than females to complement their overall larger appearance. Unlike the lower facial region, where the lower jaw becomes more angled and wider in men, there is no marked distinction between a man and a woman’s nose.
