Face Shape: It's All in the Genes

In the future, a single shred of DNA could reveal the image of a person's face, thanks to a new discovery. For the first time ever, scientists have found genetic code associated with determining facial structure. The five genes were located by measuring nearly 10,000 people's faces and then linking them to tiny DNA variations, reports BBC.

For now, the genetic findings can merely provide an estimation of a particular face shape—not a detailed portrait. But the study's lead author envisions a potential for crime-solving. "Perhaps some time it will be possible to draw a phantom portrait of a person solely from his or her DNA left behind, which provides interesting applications such as in forensics," he says. (More DNA stories.)