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Your Ears And Nose Get Bigger In Old Age (But Not Because They're Growing)
By:
Mel Kassel
Your ears and nose are getting longer every year.
August 01, 2019
Why does it seem like a person's ears and nose continue to grow until old age? Height doesn't change after puberty (well, if anything we get shorter as we age) but ears and noses are always lengthening. That's due to gravity, not actual growth.
As you age, gravity causes the cartilage in your ears and nose to break down and sag. This results in droopier, longer features. Studies have estimated that ears lengthen at a rate of about .22 millimeters per year. The growth appears in men and women, so it's just one of the many universal joys of getting older.
This article first appeared on Curiosity.com.
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