The human races

[newatheist]

I'm quite curious about the different races, I wonder why only white people have different hair colours and eye colours, why oriental people have narrower eyes and why people from the Indian sub-continent often have different skin colour.

BTW I've posted this thread here because most people on UKS are sensible people and hopefully nobody will bring up race related controversies or label me as being a racist. Thanx.

[lost thought]

Thats because we are mongerals, in the uk in past history we have been invaded by most traveling party people the vikings, the french two that I know off but I'm sure there are more. In the UK we are all mostly non-pure blood.

[davidrodway]

Thats because we are mongerals, in the uk in past history we have been invaded by most traveling party people the vikings, the french two that I know off but I'm sure there are more. In the UK we are all mostly non-pure blood.

Mongerals? Dont you mean mongrels? Two? Dont you mean too? "In the UK" - yes of course - britons, celts, roman, angles, juties, saxon, viking, norman, flemish, italian, spanish, you name it, But so have most other countries been. Name some "pure blood countries" if you can. Try again.

[bobdezon]

I'm quite curious about the different races, I wonder why only white people have different hair colours and eye colours,

They do not. Australian aboriginal children usually have blond hair. Hair colour is controlled by two types of melanin, not race. They are not the only ethnic group to display such characteristics either.

why oriental people have narrower eyes

The eyelid muscles are weaker, and/or lower is asians. This produces the epicanthic fold. It is thought by evolutionary biologists to be an inbuilt UV/wind shear protection for the eyes.

and why people from the Indian sub-continent often have different skin colour.

There are many controling factors to this question. Melanin levels, amount of UV exposure, lattitude position etc etc. There has been a 2000 study on this by Nina G. Jablonski and George Chaplin, which is here.

http://tinyurl.com/cxzmhu

BTW I've posted this thread here because most people on UKS are sensible people and hopefully nobody will bring up race related controversies or label me as being a racist. Thanx.

Seemed like a valid question to me.

[lost thought]

Mongerals? Dont you mean mongrels? Two? Dont you mean too? "In the UK" - yes of course - britons, celts, roman, angles, juties, saxon, viking, norman, flemish, italian, spanish, you name it, But so have most other countries been. Name some "pure blood countries" if you can. Try again.

My accent "Mongerals",
Two as in the Vikings =1 the French = 2 or can't you count ?
These were the TWO peoples I knew about as I was nearly asleep, I thought very good examples.
Pure blood countries no such beast exists and I think I did say the UK or do you like being a little teacher ?.

My context your mistake.

[skbuncks]

Theres a reasonable wiki article about the adaptive origins of human skin colouration here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin_co...olor_variation

skb

[Croydon Bob]

I'm quite curious about the different races, I wonder why only white people have different hair colours and eye colours, why oriental people have narrower eyes and why people from the Indian sub-continent often have different skin colour.

I don't like the use of the word 'race' in this context. We're all of the human race. You are talking about ethnicity. I realise that I'm fighting a losing battle here as most people say 'race', racism', etc. But 'race' was used by racists to validate their position of persecution of other people. Sir Julian Huxley (from Croydon), the Richard Dawkins of his era, first proposed dropping the word "race" in the 1930s. In 1950 the UN published 'The Race Question', co-written by Huxley, then head of UNESCO, which proposes: 'drop the term 'race' altogether and speak of 'ethnic groups' '. The differences are, literally, only skin deep.

[Croydon Bob]

My accent "Mongerals",
Two as in the Vikings =1 the French = 2 or can't you count ?
These were the TWO peoples I knew about as I was nearly asleep, I thought very good examples.
Pure blood countries no such beast exists and I think I did say the UK or do you like being a little teacher ?.

My context your mistake.

I've no idea what you are trying to say but I'm sure you are wrong...

[newatheist]

I don't like the use of the word 'race' in this context. We're all of the human race. You are talking about ethnicity. I realise that I'm fighting a losing battle here as most people say 'race', racism', etc. But 'race' was used by racists to validate their position of persecution of other people. Sir Julian Huxley (from Croydon), the Richard Dawkins of his era, first proposed dropping the word "race" in the 1930s. In 1950 the UN published 'The Race Question', co-written by Huxley, then head of UNESCO, which proposes: 'drop the term 'race' altogether and speak of 'ethnic groups' '. The differences are, literally, only skin deep.

I meant to write 'races' because if you wanted you could have loads of races based on every possible difference, red heads are one race blue eyes another etc. Not a big deal though.

[Tim the Mage]

I'm with Croydon Bob on this - there is no scientific basis for what we characterise as 'racial difference'. We have become cursed by decisions - not exclusively by so-called "white" people but predominantly so - about differences, superiority, inferiority and such like.

The reasons for variations in skin colour, hair pigmentation, facial shape etc are an interesting area of study that sadly gets conflated with the pseudo-science of race.

[MischiefMonkey]

Isn't it basically evolution?

In a sunny climate, with high UV, more melanin(sp) would be beneficial. Pale skin would have little protection and sunburn/skin cancer would be prevalent and detrimental.

Conversely, in an area with low sunlight/UV a pale skin would be beneficial with more efficient utilization of the little sunlight in the production of Vitamin D (preventing Rickets)

ETC for other physical traits - a particular environment favours a particular physical trait.

As for hair colour and eye colour - I would imagine this is a similar trait. Perhaps the gene for dark eyes is carried with the gene for dark skin. Or perhaps it is beneficial in its own right.

That said, there are variations - some Africans have a reddish tint to the hair, Afgans with startling green eyes, Berbers. This may be 'natural' or may be due to the mixing of the gene pool for the last few milenia.

You could then get onto health - some ethnic groups have a higher incidence of certain diseases (Kidney disease in some Asian populations). Why? It isn't beneficial - so is it connected to another gene that is beneficial?

Then chuck in cultural/social influences. Marriage to blood relatives to ensure Land stays in the family, or marrying within the village (big 'joke' at a friend's wedding about him having to marry outside the village to double the gene pool). Or the 'Caste' system in India. This means that genetic markers for certain traits are more likely to occur, homogenizing appearance.

Genetics is a massive topic, ressesive genes, homogenus/hetrogenus genes. I know a reasonable bit about breed specific dog genetics but human genetics - just for appearance is a massive topic.

Personally, I think Blue Mink explain it best.....

Obligitory You Tube Video

[Tomolac]

I don't like the use of the word 'race' in this context. We're all of the human race. You are talking about ethnicity. I realise that I'm fighting a losing battle here as most people say 'race', racism', etc. But 'race' was used by racists to validate their position of persecution of other people. Sir Julian Huxley (from Croydon), the Richard Dawkins of his era, first proposed dropping the word "race" in the 1930s. In 1950 the UN published 'The Race Question', co-written by Huxley, then head of UNESCO, which proposes: 'drop the term 'race' altogether and speak of 'ethnic groups' '. The differences are, literally, only skin deep.

'breeds' maybe?