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Origins of the pale skin color in Europeans
September 20, 2012 at 11:16 pm
(This post was last modified: September 20, 2012 at 11:17 pm by Justtristo.)
I have been recently reading research that the genes responsible for the light skin colors in Europeans, became only dominant between 5000-6000 years ago when agriculture was firmly established in Europe.
The reasoning about the genetic evidence, is that agricultural people did not have access to vitamin d rich foods such as fish as their hunter gather precessors did.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/a...anged.html
These discoveries would piss of those various "Aryan pride" people, because until only a few thousand years ago Northern Europeans had very likely medium colored skin and dark hair, similar to what people in the Middle East or North-East Asia have.
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RE: Origins of the pale skin color in Europeans
September 21, 2012 at 12:06 am
I've got to think about this one.
The northernmost Europeans, in Scandinavia suffered from such a short growing season that much of their diet was ocean-based. Yet, they are the lightest skinned.
But even more to the point.....
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/science/scien...ckles.html
Quote:Neanderthals living in Europe were fair skinned, freckled and had ginger hair, a study has revealed.
But, by all means let's have the discussion because it will be nice not to have to listen to someone prattle on about fucking jesus for once.
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RE: Origins of the pale skin color in Europeans
September 21, 2012 at 12:08 am
How do you explain the skin pigmentation of people living thousands of kilometres from fish such as countries in the middle of Africa? Or are their diets still vitamin D rich anyways?
I always thought skin colour was a direct adaptation to how strong the sun was in that region..?
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RE: Origins of the pale skin color in Europeans
September 21, 2012 at 12:23 am
(September 21, 2012 at 12:06 am)Minimalist Wrote: But, by all means let's have the discussion because it will be nice not to have to listen to someone prattle on about fucking jesus for once.
Can we talk about how Jesus got his light skin color? 
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RE: Origins of the pale skin color in Europeans
September 21, 2012 at 12:28 am
Smart ass.
Jesus got his light skin color because bigoted northern europeans did not want a dark-skinned savior.
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RE: Origins of the pale skin color in Europeans
September 21, 2012 at 12:28 am
(September 21, 2012 at 12:23 am)TaraJo Wrote: (September 21, 2012 at 12:06 am)Minimalist Wrote: But, by all means let's have the discussion because it will be nice not to have to listen to someone prattle on about fucking jesus for once.
Can we talk about how Jesus got his light skin color?
Ignorant western churches :p
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RE: Origins of the pale skin color in Europeans
September 21, 2012 at 12:40 am
(This post was last modified: September 21, 2012 at 12:44 am by Anomalocaris.)
(September 21, 2012 at 12:08 am)FallentoReason Wrote: How do you explain the skin pigmentation of people living thousands of kilometres from fish such as countries in the middle of Africa? Or are their diets still vitamin D rich anyways?
I always thought skin colour was a direct adaptation to how strong the sun was in that region..?
The idea that skin color correlates to sun light does not hold water. There are native Americans in tropical latitudes where Africans are darks as chocolate. There are native Americans in arctic latitudes where Europeans are white as snow. Yet native Americans seems to have done pretty well staying much the same color as each other.
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RE: Origins of the pale skin color in Europeans
September 21, 2012 at 12:41 am
(September 21, 2012 at 12:08 am)FallentoReason Wrote: I always thought skin colour was a direct adaptation to how strong the sun was in that region..?
The article says that we evolved to absorb more vitamin D because of a change in our diets. It would have been interesting to see what would have happened to African people who were living around the equator if they had changed their diets and needed extra vitamin D. Would they have evolved lighter skin instead of (or along with) us? And if so, what evolutionary adjustments would have been made to prevent nearly constant sunburns?
(September 21, 2012 at 12:28 am)Minimalist Wrote: Smart ass.
Yep. Whole lot better than being a dumb ass. 
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RE: Origins of the pale skin color in Europeans
September 21, 2012 at 12:51 am
(September 21, 2012 at 12:08 am)FallentoReason Wrote: How do you explain the skin pigmentation of people living thousands of kilometres from fish such as countries in the middle of Africa? Or are their diets still vitamin D rich anyways?
I always thought skin colour was a direct adaptation to how strong the sun was in that region..?
That's my understanding as well. This theory is born out by the pattern we see where the closer you get to the equator, the darker the skin, while the closer you get to the poles, the lighter the skin.
We can see this effect not just in Europeans but other people in the world. Compare among Native American tribes the Eskimo of Alaska to the Inca of Peru. Compare in East Asia the Mongolians to the Siamese. Among Europeans, compare the Italians to the Scandinavians.
Skin color is just an adaptation to the amount of direct sunlight a given people have over time. Darker skin is more resistant to sunlight so it protects from sunburn, useful in tropical climates. Lighter skin sucks up sunlight, useful if its in short supply.
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RE: Origins of the pale skin color in Europeans
September 21, 2012 at 12:53 am
(September 21, 2012 at 12:08 am)FallentoReason Wrote: How do you explain the skin pigmentation of people living thousands of kilometres from fish such as countries in the middle of Africa? Or are their diets still vitamin D rich anyways?
I always thought skin colour was a direct adaptation to how strong the sun was in that region..?
UV levels are much higher in the middle of Africa, as opposed to say Scandinavia.
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