A Biologist Explains Why Humans Have Lips (Hint: No Other Primate Has Them)
A biologist explains that human lips, specifically the vermilion border, are a unique anatomical feature not found in other primates. While other primates have muscular mouths, humans are the only species with this exposed, moist tissue on the exterior of the face.
Why it matters
Understanding unique human anatomical traits provides insight into evolutionary biology and what distinguishes humans from other hominids.
Science A Biologist Explains Why Humans Have Lips (Hint: No Other Primate Has Them) By Scott Travers ,
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I write about biodiversity and the hidden quirks of the natural world. Follow Author Aug 23, 2026, 10:00am EDT You have looked at your lips every day of your life and probably never once wondered why they're there. getty Most of what makes humans anatomically strange is hidden from us. You can’t see your own pelvis tilt or the way your larynx sits low in your throat. Lips are the opposite.
They’re on the front of your face, you’ve been looking at them since you were old enough to recognize yourself in a mirror, and that familiarity is exactly why the question never comes up. We tend to notice what’s unusual about other people, not what’s unusual about the species.
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