May chin be considered a distinctive anatomical feature of a human skull?

Abstract

Why did the chin evolve and what are its functions? Many hypotheses about the functional significance of this formation have been put forward, but it has not been possible to prove all of them empirically, either due to the lack of data or the lack of the necessary equipment. The article discusses hypotheses about the appearance and significance of this formation, as well as future research directions that can provide a deeper understanding of this human peculiarity. We assume that the process of formation of the mental protuberance fits into a new hypothesis, different from others, which explains its appearance by changes in biomechanical loads on the body of the lower jaw and migration of attachment points of muscles involved in speech articulation and is associated with the development of the second signaling system.