Scientists Discover Every Blue-Eyed Person On Earth Descends From A Single Ancestor
Blue eyes have always been considered rare and beautiful, with only 8-10% of the world's population having them. But did you know that all blue-eyed people share a common ancestor? Scientists have discoveredevery blue-eyed person on earth descends from a single ancestor.
Every Blue-Eyed Person On Earth Descends From A Single Ancestor
A genetic mutation that originated from a single human between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago is responsible for the existence of blue eyes, according to a study conducted by the University of Copenhagen.
For years, scientists have studied the OCA2 gene, which determines the level of brown pigment in the human eye, to understand what causes blue eyes. However, the researchers discovered that the mutation that causes blue eyes is actually from an entirely different gene called HERC2. This gene completely turns off the OCA2 gene, "diluting" brown into blue.
The study found that every blue-eyed person on earth has the same mutation, proving that they are all linked to a common ancestor. Although it is still unclear how the mutation spread, it is believed to have occurred when humans migrated from Africa to Europe.
Professor Hans Eiberg from the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine at the University of Copenhagen explained the significance of the study, "From this, we can conclude that all blue-eyed individuals are linked to the same ancestor. They have all inherited the same switch at exactly the same spot in their DNA."
The discovery of the single ancestor was made back in 2008 when the research team from the University of Copenhagen initially tracked down the mutation. The study also looked at the variation in other less common eye colors, such as green, which further proved the idea of one person originating the blue-eyed gene.
People with green eyes have a reduced amount of melanin in the iris, which is very different from those with blue eyes. Green eyes cannot be explained by the same genetic mutation as blue eyes, which further supports the idea that blue eyes have a unique origin.
The discovery of the single ancestor responsible for blue eyes sheds new light on the evolution of human eye color. The study's findings will be useful for future research in genetics, and may have implications for our understanding of human migration patterns.
Conclusion
In conclusion, every blue-eyed person on earth is linked to a single ancestor who lived between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago. The genetic mutation that causes blue eyes originated from an entirely different gene called HERC2, which completely turns off the OCA2 gene, "diluting" brown into blue. This discovery provides new insights into the evolution of human eye color and will be useful for future research in genetics.
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