Humans are the only creatures on Earth that have a chin, and scientists can't explain why

Humans are the only animals on Earth that have a chin. Although it seems simple at first, scientists seem confused.

Many scientists stroked their chins in confusion as they tried to explain the human body. The bony bulge that protrudes from the lower jaw is unique in the animal kingdom, and although researchers have proposed various theories over the years as to why this occurs, the chin remains a mystery to this day.

Although it may seem strange, humans are actually the only creatures that have a chin. Even chimpanzees and gorillas, our closest genetic cousins, don't have a chin. Instead of protruding forward, the lower jaw leans back, away from its front teeth. Even Neanderthals did not have a chin, and their faces became flat, Ed Young wrote in the Atlantic.

Over the past century, scientists have proposed many theories to explain why humans developed chins, from helping us chew food to speaking. Bambush argues that many of these theories cannot be explained analytically. Another such idea was recently published in the journal Evolutionary Anthropology.

One of the most popular ideas is that our ancestors developed the chin to strengthen our lower jaw to withstand the stresses of chewing. But according to Bambush, the chin is in the wrong place to strengthen the jaw. As for whether it helps us speak, he doubts that language produces enough force to make that necessary. So to this day the chin remains a mystery and no one knows exactly what it is used for.