OK, Brazil, It's on -- Let's Have a Face-off

Well, by now we've all learned that the city of Chicago -- and the rest of the world -- will be watching the 2016 Summer Olympics being broadcast from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Congratulations are due and are accordingly extended to our Southern-Western Hemisphere friends.

But I am feeling compelled to throw down the science gauntlet this evening. That's right, I'm looking at you, Brazil.

Is what I am reading in today's science news your A-game? Is that what you're bringing?

A news article catches my eye: Brazilians judge facial beauty differently than North Americans.

And I'm saying to myself: "Cool! A quantified differential in the aesthetics of the human facial form between differing locales in the Americas!" (After which I said to myself: "You're talking to yourself about culturally based variations in aesthetics. You need to get out more.")

And this is that to which I am treated:

"...researchers studied the preferences of a group of health professionals who work with facial esthetics, a group of artists and sculptors, and a group of general citizens. They were asked about their esthetic impression of three nasal root height variations, produced with computer imaging from the profiles of six women between the ages of 18 and 30 years.

"The low position of the nasal root, between the upper eyelid crease and the pupil level, was considered the most beautiful by the Brazilian health professionals, artists, and lay public (53%), followed by the regular position (36%). When asked about the worst profile, the high level was chosen (73%)."

Hey, Brazil. The U.S. of A. may have been born in July, but it wasn't this past July.

What's the methodology? How, exactly, is the North American measure of beauty different from the South American measure of beauty, as the article title suggested one would learn?

What 73% of who chose the high level of which, and this signifies... huh?

What is, speaking in terms of one's face, "the regular position"?

Look. Brazil. I like you. Come, walk with me.

It's currently late Sunday evening as I write this. Fresh news from under the scintillating umbrella of science is predictably and understandably thin at this time, week after week.

But this is what you're bringing to the table tonight?

It's not even a bronze medal effort, I'm afraid.

Image courtesy of João Felipe C.S, via Wikimedia Commons