“Vibrissae” is taken directly from the Latin word, meaning “nostril hairs.” Many mammals have vibrissae — stiffer, thicker hairs around the face used as sense organs, the way some insects use antennae. They are also called “whiskers.” Vibrissae grow from different follicles than regular hairs, and the roots are closely connected with facial nerves, which allow them to deliver sense information about spaces and objects the animal encounters. It’s believed that some 800,000 years ago, humans lost the DNA for whiskers. Though the word “vibrissae” translates literally as “nostril hairs,” human nose hairs don’t serve nearly as complex a function as do cat, rat, or seal whiskers.