GENEALOGY-DNA-L Archives

Archiver > GENEALOGY-DNA > 2006-11 > 1163207334


From: "Eric Olson" <>
Subject: Re: [DNA] White skin color gene
Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 17:08:54 -0800


Now there's a good question. Why are polar bears white? Certainly not for
the same reason Europeans are. Europeans are white because of their pale
skin color; polar bears are white because their very specialized guard
hairs are hollow and transparent and reflect the visible wavelengths of
light.
Hmm.... Well, perhaps in both cases sunlight is let in to the skin which
can then produce vitamin D3... So maybe the reason is the same. A
selective advantage, but realized in two different ways..

Eric


> [Original Message]
> From: ray <>
> To: <>
> Date: 11/10/2006 4:24:55 PM
> Subject: Re: [DNA] White skin color gene
>
> It amazes me that in the original article discussing why white skin
> color in Europe dominated, the writer totally ignores an obvious
> reason - the same reason that Polar Bears are white!
>
> Ray
>
> > Date: Fri, 10 Nov 2006 16:07:12 -0500
> > From: "Havelock Vetinari" <>
> > Subject: Re: [DNA] White skin color gene
> > To:
> > Message-ID:
> > <>
> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
> >
> > How can you say the genetic difference is minute? The fact that nearly
> > everyone in Europe has this particular mutation means that it must
> > have been favored by natural selection.
> >
> > Regards,
> >
> > Paul D.
>
>
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