# Why haven't humans ever evolved pointy elf-like ears? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 12, 2015, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488 "2015-10-12T23:05:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/21 "2015-10-13T11:31:02Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > My aunt has one pointy elf ear. Some of the “souvenirs” of the Ring War have become embarrassments to the families of the veterans. It was a different time. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/22 "2015-10-13T12:59:41Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > So how many of you can wiggle your ears - pricking them up I think? I can only find uncited statements that suggest it’s 10 to 20% of us. I can’t do it on purpose, but I do sometimes feel them move if I am surprised by a noise behind me. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/23 "2015-10-13T13:37:06Z")
Most people have never noticed, in the Donald Duck conic strips, illustrated characters who are not members of the Duck family are dogs if male and cats if female. The dog-males have round black noses and pendant floppy ears, and females have pointy cat ears, and still look humanoid enough that the reader does not notice the consistency of the characteristics. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 2:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/24 "2015-10-13T14:27:44Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Most people have never noticed, in the Donald Duck conic strips, illustrated characters who are not members of the Duck family are dogs if male and cats if female. The dog-males have round black noses and pendant floppy ears, and females have pointy cat ears, and still look humanoid enough that the reader does not notice the consistency of the characteristics. I never saw them as cats and dogs, just dogs with ears that hang low vs hang high. Though my exposure is mostly in cartoon form from Ducktales and such. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/25 "2015-10-13T14:47:21Z")
> [@Mister\_Rik](#): > > My aunt has one pointy elf ear. > [@DrFidelius](#): > > Some of the “souvenirs” of the Ring War have become embarrassments to the families of the veterans. It was a different time. “Yo auntie wears Orcish combat boots!” ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/26 "2015-10-13T15:05:35Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > All evolution begins with random mutations, or “accidents.” If the mutation never happens, the effects will never exist. No pointy ears. Insufficient number of mechanical rice picker accidents. ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/27 "2015-10-13T16:19:06Z")
> [@Leo\_Bloom](#): > > Did she bear offspring? Several, but none inherited the pointy ear. > [@Kedikat](#): > > Most of the time, evolution tries to balance survival by using the minimum amount of equipment required. Even a bit of extra ear cost a little energy to keep alive. However. If pointy ears had become some sexual attraction, then they might have become extravagantly long and pointy. [![](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/34/05/92/3405926bccd3b54b9eaa9acfa6a454e9.jpg) ](https://i.pinimg.com/originals/34/05/92/3405926bccd3b54b9eaa9acfa6a454e9.jpg) 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![furryman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/furryman/32/99_2.png) [@furryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furryman)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/28 "2015-10-13T16:40:11Z")
I have pointed ears, buy they don’t look like elf or Vulcan ears. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/29 "2015-10-13T17:16:36Z")
> [@t-bonham@scc.net](#): > > \*Humans have some such muscles, but atrophied & minuscule. Unless you’re Henry Rollins… ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/30 "2015-10-13T17:41:23Z")
I do not see (or it has not been shown) why directional acoustic collectors should be pointy. Given the 3-D scoop, which is the way to go (yay Nature!) perhaps “optimal” stiffness to strain considerations of cartilage come into play. ---
**Author:** ![Ornery\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/da6949/32.png) [@Ornery\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ornery_Bob)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/31 "2015-10-13T18:30:20Z")
_Most of the time, evolution tries to balance survival by using the minimum amount of equipment required._ Sorry, but this is utter nonsense. Evolution doesn’t have an agenda and isn’t trying to do anything. Random mutations simply happen. Some get passed along and some don’t. Some have survival advantages and some don’t. There’s no “balance” that is some sort of goal. Evolution simply happens, there’s no destination. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/32 "2015-10-14T02:20:01Z")
> [@Ornery\_Bob](#): > > _Most of the time, evolution tries to balance survival by using the minimum amount of equipment required._ > > Sorry, but this is utter nonsense. Evolution doesn’t have an agenda and isn’t trying to do anything. Random mutations simply happen. Some get passed along and some don’t. Some have survival advantages and some don’t. There’s no “balance” that is some sort of goal. Evolution simply happens, there’s no destination. No, it’s not _entirely_ nonsense. Random mutations tend to behave like a form of entropy: They tend to de-evolve from more elaborate structures toward more simple structures, UNLESS there is some adaptive preference toward the more elaborate structure. For example: Certain species of mammals live in places where there is little or no light, and in these species, their eyes have tended to de-evolve and become vestigial. Bats, living in caves and coming out only at night, are famously blind. There are [some species of dolphins that live in muddy river waters, and some of these species are nearly blind](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Asian_river_dolphin#Description). Whales and dolphins, at some point in their history, had legs, but these have de-evolved. Some cetaceans have a vestigial pelvis and vestigial leg bones. Yes, it’s all in random mutations. But random mutations are as likely to add or subtract some structure. Absent some evolutionary pressure favoring the more elaborate structure, you tend to get regression. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/33 "2015-10-14T03:10:36Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Bats, living in caves and coming out only at night, are famously blind. No bats are actually blind. All have at least small, perfectly functional eyes. Many species are active in daylight and have good vision. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/34 "2015-10-14T03:16:18Z")
There’s been no evidence presented here to show that humans never had pointy ears. ---
**Author:** ![Francis\_Vaughan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/francis_vaughan/32/3093_2.png) [@Francis\_Vaughan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Francis_Vaughan)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/35 "2015-10-14T03:43:25Z")
There is some [small amount of evidence [sup]\*[/sup]](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGF5ROpjRAU) that guys with pointy ears are considered hot by some members of the opposite sex. YMMV - Really sorry, you will need something very strong and alcoholic to wipe the memory of this seared into your brain. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 5:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/36 "2015-10-14T05:50:04Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > There is some [small amount of evidence [sup]\*[/sup]](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGF5ROpjRAU) that guys with pointy ears are considered hot by some members of the opposite sex. YMMV Ayup… in fact, it was [this character](http://amalur.wikia.com/wiki/File:Alyn_Shir.jpg) who inspired me to ask this question. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/37 "2015-10-14T11:28:00Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > Insufficient number of mechanical rice picker accidents. City on the Edge of Forever, just so you know the reference wasn’t lost. ---
**Author:** ![jtur88](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e9c0ed/32.png) [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/38 "2015-10-14T13:10:55Z")
> [@Francis\_Vaughan](#): > > There is some [small amount of evidence [sup]\*[/sup]](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGF5ROpjRAU) that guys with pointy ears are considered hot by some members of the opposite sex. YMMV > ] Then, why do plastic surgeons do so many nose-jobs and no pointy-ear-jobs? ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/39 "2015-10-14T16:38:35Z")
> [@jtur88](#): > > Then, why do plastic surgeons do so many nose-jobs and no pointy-ear-jobs? [Welllll…](http://abcnews.go.com/Health/ear-pointing-surgery-elf-ears-mr-spock/story?id=13317198) ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2015, 4:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488/40 "2015-10-14T16:59:18Z")
The shape of the ear allows it to filter certain frequencies which help us figure out where a sound comes from. Computer headsets take advantage of this to trick your brain into thinking a sound is coming from front or behind depending on which frequencies are filtered out. Pointy ears might not be as good as this type of filtering and may be at a disadvantage at locating a sound (just guessing). I would also guess that pointy ears might get a lot colder than rounded ears. Round ears can get pretty painful in cold weather. That pointy part that sticks out would be even harder to keep warm. That might also be a disadvantage. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-havent-humans-ever-evolved-pointy-elf-like-ears/734488.md?page=3)