Awww your baby looks just like

........ a red.... thing...

Today an article in the New York Time's "examines" the claim by several studies that Babies tend to resemble their fathers. (If by examine you mean regurgitate.) They cite 2 studies (Just "the Facts") that used different methodologies to see if there is a pattern in human resemblance in behavior. In any case, the NYT FAILs to mention this study (by the way the first result on google) which disagrees and fails to replicate the results of the original 1995 study.

I did find another study which based it's conclusions on what people "said" about a baby's resemblance. I actually laughed out loud when I read it. I wont do it the honor of linking it because...... no. I know if I were included in that sample I'd be completely making something up. To me, babies, look like babies. Booooooring.

It seems like this would be an interesting thing to look at for people who are studying facial mapping technologies. (I did some work with these last year actually, the agony of doing data analysis on photographs.) It would be interesting to see if an algorithm would see more resemblance to a mother or father in a baby. Someone smarter than me should do the research and get back to me.

Anyway the NYT's article is interesting if a little one sided. The Claim, The Facts and my favorite part:

"THE BOTTOM LINE Infants are more likely to resemble their dads. "

According to 2 studies that haven't been replicated. Oh god, I'm going to go laugh in the bathroom stall now so people will stop popping over my cube walls and looking at me funny.