What skeletal feature indicates an older individual visually?

The presence of pores on the surface of bones is a key indicator of aging in skeletal remains. As individuals age, the bone remodeling process changes, which can lead to an increase in porosity, particularly in the skull and other bones. This porosity results from the natural loss of bone density and changes in the bone's microstructure.

In older individuals, the bone tissue becomes less dense and develops a more porous texture, which can be seen upon visual inspection. This characteristic is often used by forensic anthropologists to estimate age at death and assess the skeletal health of individuals.

In contrast, heavily contoured faces, defined facial bones, and smooth, round edges may not be as reliable indicators of age. Heavily contoured faces may suggest youth or certain genetic traits, defined facial bones are often more associated with robustness or muscle attachment rather than age, and smooth edges generally relate to a lack of wear rather than the age of the individual.