human racial diversity

[gusl]

Why is red hair and brown eyes so uncommon? Genetic linkage is the answer.

Evolution of Racial Differences

Where Did White Folks Come From? argues that the "white mutation" happened about 5000 years ago.

Good information on this topic seems awfully hard to find. For example, "what percentage of the Dutch have blue eyes?", and similarly innocent questions seem to yield a high proportion of white supremacists (perhaps because they find it so important?), as well as politically-correct writers who argue (or rather "state without argument") that there exists no biologically meaningful concept of "race". This is a bad sign, and it's why scientists should be able to write about the subject without fear of political reprisal. Pinker makes a similar point at "The Blank Slate".

If you're too eager to deny biology, you must be afraid of the truth...

Comments

[selfishgene.livejournal.com]

I'm not an expert on this, but 5000 years seems ridiculously short. Bearing in mind the large number of sub-groups within the 'white' group. These groups have specific identities within European geographic locations dating back many millennia. It seems unlikely that the mutation would have conquered so absolutely within only 5000 years. Groups like the Basques have been distinctive in the same area for a long time but they are no less white than average for their European latitude.
Push it back another 5 or 10k years and it might be more feasible. I suspect this recent date may be related to an attempt to place early civilizations in the 'black' column of accomplishments. This kind of bullshit needs to be soundly debunked. Regardless of the date of the melanin mutation it is clear that human sub-groups and sub-sub-groups have existed for at least 100k years.

[frauhedgehog.livejournal.com]

As the mother of a red haired/brown eyed girl, I thank you.

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

oh yeah. I knew I had seen it before. :-)