• Question: why do we have earlobes?

    • Keywords:
      • Click on a keyword to find out more on the RSC site:
      Asked by 522newg34 to Aoife, Brian, Conor, Louise, Matthew on 15 Nov 2016.
      • Photo: Matthew Kitching

        Matthew Kitching answered on 15 Nov 2016:


        hi 522newg34

        NOBODY KNOWS! (do i get the QI bonus points lol)

        Best guess is that they are left over from evolution – but i don’t think anyone knows why we still have the

        Sorry i can’t give a better answer – maybe you could become a scientist and work out why? come and join the science fun 🙂

      • Photo: Louise Mc Grath

        Louise Mc Grath answered on 15 Nov 2016:


        Hi 522newg34,

        Just like Matthew said no one is sure why we have them but it has been suggested that they used to help funnel sound into our ears. This would make sure that we heard things more clearly and better. Nowadays people just use them to wear earrings.

        I think we need time travel to go back and see what they were for years and years ago!

      • Photo: Aoife Lucid

        Aoife Lucid answered on 16 Nov 2016:


        There have been a few suggestions as to why we have ears, one is to funnel sound into our ears like Louise said, another is that because they have a lot of blood vessels that they are there in part to keep us warm!

    Comments