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If you sport those charming creases on either side of your lips every time you crack a smile, you have one little gene (and your parents, of course) to thank. Each physical trait you possess is represented by a pair of genes -- one each from mom and pop. This pair can either be a combination of two dominant genes, one dominant and one recessive gene, or two recessive genes. All you need is one dominant gene to inherit a particular trait. Dimples, along with other traits such as freckles, a widow's peak, a cleft chin, and yes, even bushy eyebrows, are passed along by a single dominant
gene. If you have dimples, you have the dominant trait (D-). If you don't, you have the recessive (dd). It's that simple. Try this fun exercise to get a better understanding of genetics and heredity (plus you just might see what your future children could look like). Who knows? If you have a stray widow's peak or prominent chin floating around in your gene pool, your child just might have a future in late-night TV.
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