If you're one of the one percent of people in the UK with these little holes above your ears - don't worry. There is a reason.
Oh, and it doesn't count if you have them because you used to have a 'forward helix' piercing. Sorry.
Basically, it's called preauricular sinus and it's a hereditary birth defect. According to Business Insider, it was first documented by a scientist called Van Heusinger all the way back in 1864. Apparently, they can either be on both sides, or just one. However, they're most common on the right-hand side.
This is where it gets really cool though. Evolutionary biologist, Neil Shubin, believes that the holes could be an evolutionary remnant of fish gills. Tell me that's not cool.
Credit: Business Insider
All I can think of right now is Kevin Costner in that awful film Waterworld.
At the office, we started studying each other's ears after this story came along (obviously) but sadly none of us have the gills. Damn. However, my editor, Patrick, piped up about something he has called Darwin's tubercle.
Here's a handy picture to illustrate.
Credit: The incredibly lovely Patrick, who needs a shave.
These little lumps are far more common. Named after Darwin himself, he refers to the lumps in the opening pages of 'The Descent of Man' as evidence of a vestigial feature, indicating common ancestry among primates.
After a bit more ear-fondling, we've realised that out of those of us working today, 80 percent of us have them. Hopefully, that's a reflection on how common they are and not how closely related to monkeys TheLADbible staff seem to be.
Featured image credit: Wikipedia/Smooth_O
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