The beard has long been the badge of honour for hipsters, but the style status is only part of the reason for the facial grooming. Researchers from the University of Western Australia looked at more than 100 species of primate, finding that male species develop trademarks looks to help ‘stand out’. As well as noticing the elongated nose of a proboscis monkey, cheek flanges in orang-utans and upper-lip warts in golden snub-nosed monkeys – the study also pointed to beard growth in hipster males. According to i100, the research indicates that by growing a beard, a hipster male is attempting to look more aggressive and dominant. And the main reason for developing these badges? Well it’s all down to the laws of attraction – with males hoping that the new feature will help them attract their female counterparts. Dr Cyril Grueter, the lead researcher on the study wrote: “When you live in a small group where everyone knows everyone because of repeated interactions, there is no need to signal quality and competitiveness via ornaments. In large groups where individuals are surrounded by strangers, we need a quick reliable tool to evaluate someone’s strength and quality, and that’s where these elaborate ornaments come in. “In the case of humans, this may also include phenotypic extensions such as body decoration, jewellery and prestige items.”