Making Faces : The Evolutionary Origins of the Human Face

Humans possess the most expressive faces in the animal kingdom. Adam Wilkins presents evidence ranging from the fossil record to recent findings of genetics, molecular biology, and developmental biology to reconstruct the fascinating story of how the human face evolved. Beginning with the first vertebrate faces half a billion years ago and continuing to dramatic changes among our recent human ancestors, __Making Faces__ illuminates how the unusual characteristics of the human face came about―both the physical shape of facial features and the critical role facial expression plays in human society. Offering more than an account of morphological changes over time and space, which rely on findings from paleontology and anthropology, Wilkins also draws on comparative studies of living nonhuman species. He examines the genetic foundations of the remarkable diversity in human faces, and also shows how the evolution of the face was intimately connected to the evolution of the brain. Brain structures capable of recognizing different individuals as well as “reading” and reacting to their facial expressions led to complex social exchanges. Furthermore, the neural and muscular mechanisms that created facial expressions also allowed the development of speech, which is unique to humans. In demonstrating how the physical evolution of the human face has been inextricably intertwined with our species’ growing social complexity, Wilkins argues that it was both the product and enabler of human sociality. "Humans possess the most expressive faces in the animal kingdom. Adam Wilkins presents evidence ranging from the fossil record to recent findings of genetics, molecular biology, and developmental biology to reconstruct the fascinating story of how the human face evolved. Beginning with the first vertebrate faces half a billion years ago and continuing to dramatic changes among our recent human ancestors, Making Faces illuminates how the unusual characteristics of the human face came about--both the physical shape of facial features and the critical role facial expression plays in human society. Offering more than an account of morphological changes over time and space, which rely on findings from paleontology and anthropology, Wilkins also draws on comparative studies of living nonhuman species. He examines the genetic foundations of the remarkable diversity in human faces, and also shows how the evolution of the face was intimately connected to the evolution of the brain. Brain structures capable of recognizing different individuals as well as "reading" and reacting to their facial expressions led to complex social exchanges. Furthermore, the neural and muscular mechanisms that created facial expressions also allowed the development of speech, which is unique to humans. In demonstrating how the physical evolution of the human face has been inextricably intertwined with our species' growing social complexity, Wilkins argues that it was both the product and enabler of human sociality."--Publisher's description This book sets out to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the human face, in terms of both the fossil evidence and the recent findings of genetics, molecular biology, and developmental biology that have illuminated how the human face forms during embryonic and fetal development. In exploring this history, we will see how intimately the evolution of the face was connected to that of the brain and how mental and social processes have helped shape the human face; intriguingly, those processes have continued well into the recent history of our species. Along the way, we will take note of the remarkable diversity of human faces and examine the genetic foundations of that diversity, findings relevant to understanding the (probable) evolutionary future of the face. The final chapter sums up the key features of the history of the face, and explores how that history illuminates human evolution specifically and exemplifies the evolutionary process in general.-- Provided by publisher Cover Title Copyright Dedication Contents Preface Chapter 1. Thinking about the Human Face as a Product of Evolution Chapter 2. How the Face Develops: From Early Embryo to Older Teenager Chapter 3. The Genetic Foundations of the Face Chapter 4. The Genetic Basis of Facial Diversity Chapter 5. History of the Face I: From Earliest Vertebrates to the First Primates Chapter 6. History of the Face II: From Early Primates to Modern Humans Chapter 7. Brain and Face Coevolution: Recognizing, Reading, and Making Faces Chapter 8. “Postspeciation”: The Evolving Face in Modern Humans Chapter 9. On Face Consciousness and the Future of the Face Chapter 10. Social Selection in the Shaping of the Human Face Coda: Three Journeys Notes Acronyms Glossary Bibliography Acknowledgments Index Thinking about the human face as a product of evolution How the face develops: from early embryo to older teenager The genetic foundations of the face The genetic basis of facial diversity History of the face. I, From earliest vertebrates to first primates History of the face. II, From early primates to modern humans Brain and face coevolution: recognizing, reading and making faces "Postspeciation": the evolving face in modern humans On face consciousness and the future of the human face Social selection in the shaping of the human face Coda: Three journeys. Adam Wilkins draws on studies of nonhuman species, the fossil record, genetics, and molecular and developmental biology to reconstruct the evolution of the human face and its inextricable link to our species' evolving social complexity. The neural and muscular mechanisms that allowed facial expressions also led to speech, which is unique to humans.