Only a handful of people have these tiny holes by their ears, and here's the fascinating reason why. The chances are that you know at least one person with a tiny hole somewhere above their ear. It's quite a common condition, but the hole isn't just a leftover scar from a piercing gone wrong, and if you've ever wondered why some people have these curious, tiny dimples, it turns out there may actually be a scientific reason for them. Indeed, even though the human body is a truly amazing thing, there's no denying that it throws up all manner of oddities, and there are plenty of such comparatively uncommon conditions that people experience from birth. These are relatively benign, like a single traversed Palmer crease, or a crease along the palm, or more serious like congenital heart problems. Heart problems, for instance, can result in breathing difficulties in newborns and require treatment to ensure that the heart remains functional. However, not all abnormalities are as serious as this. Many are in fact harmless. And if you've ever seen anyone with a tiny dimple above their ear, then you may have never realized that it was even a thing. In fact, unless close family members, loved ones, or you yourself are affected by the condition, then you may have never come across it. But while these markings are only apparent on a small percentage of the population, they're more common than you may think, and as you might have guessed, they're entirely natural and are present from birth. The number of people with these holes varies from country to country, however, in the US and UK, for example, less than 1% of the population is observed to have this condition. In Asia and some African nations, though, this total may be as high as 10%. And these mysterious holes are scientifically known as pre-orical sinuses, or congenital orical fistulas. They go by many other names, though. For instance, you may have heard them referred to as earpits, or gas wine holes. Furthermore, these strange birth defects were first noted some 150 years ago. Indeed, the earliest recorded description of the congenital male formation was made in 1864 by a scientist named Ben Housinger. And while the majority of cases of pre-orical sinuses are unilateral, meaning that they're only present in one ear, there are some cases which people have them on both. In fact, it's thought that between 25 and 50% of people with the condition have it on both ears. It's also worth noting that having a pre-orical sinus is not in itself dangerous, and although there's a chance that the hole may become infected, antibiotics can usually help clear things up. Sometimes, though, an affected person may wish to have the hole removed. There's a disagreement in the medical community, however, as to whether all cases should be repaired or only those that cause issues such as infections. If it's removed, then a specialist surgeon must perform the procedure due to the proximity of the ear pit to the nerves in the face. Typically, a plastic surgeon, a head-next specialist, or an otolaryngologist, a surgeon who specializes in ear, nose, and throat medicine would complete the operation. Several health issues are associated with a pre-orical sinus, however. For instance, it's one of the indicators of Beck with Wideman Syndrome. This disorder increases the risk of childhood cancer in those affected by it. And while it's far rarer, there have been some cases where pre-orical sinuses have been linked to Brankio-Otolarynal Syndrome. Inheriting the genetic disorder can lead to children having non-functioning or missing kidneys. What's more, anomalous openings and skin tags around the ears are a noted symptom of the disease. As for when the pre-orical sinuses first appear, it's in the embryonic stage of the development of a fetus. When the pharyngeal arch is formed, in humans and other animals, these archers will eventually make up the head and neck. But why are they even a condition in the first place? Well, scientists have come up with some extraordinary theories about why some people are affected by this peculiar male formation. In fish, for instance, the pharyngeal archers not only form the neck and head, but also the gills. Evolutionary biologist Neil Schuben has therefore theorized that pre-orical sinuses could in fact be an evolutionary remnant of fish gills. For now, however, this remains just a hypothesis and one that hasn't been scientifically proven. Of course, humans still carry around plenty of evolutionary quirks that aren't actually necessary for our bodies to function. The cockocks and appendix, for instance, are both genetic legacies that we've inherited from our ancestors. It doesn't seem that much of a stretch of the imagination, then, for the pre-orical sinus to be a similar case of nature playing catch-up. Until we know for sure, however, the ear pit should be considered just a relatively harmless male formation. Next time you spot someone with a tiny dimple above their ear, though, you'll know exactly what it's all about. And if you sport one yourself, you can now rest easy knowing that, in most cases, it's absolutely nothing to worry about. Please share this video with your friends below.