Why is it that people of different races are different colors/characteristics?

Question

I'm guessing it has to do wth the complexities of human evolution. Homosapien species didn't die out yield and to newer species at the same time around the world.

Because of this there was mixing between the species and as a result different characteristics emerged.

Please advise. Am I on the right track.

Answer 1

Just want to add my two cents even though Peter S has done a decent job with his answer. LIke it is mentioned, there are small differences between races, and the most obvious difference is the color of the skin, which the latest scientific tells us that the darker one's skin is, the slowlier one's appearance ages. Based on this fact alone can hardly contribute to the differences we see among the races.

The differences of the races we see came from society, cultural experiences, and other external circumstancess. If you raise a Jew as a Nazi, the Jew mostly would act as a Nazi. This scenario unfortunately did happen. Kids who were picked up in Poland's Auschwitz camp and raised as German supremacist often refused to recognize their birth parents when WWII broke, and believe they came from German bloodlines. That is perhaphs the most resounding refuttal of the idea that different characteritics from different races are the result of the differences in color.


XR

Answer 2

It takes about 20,000 years, to go from dark skin to light, and from brown/black eyes, to light colored eyes...when the stimuli changes!

If we adjust the lighting and various other environmental conditions in a laboratory, we can alter the appearance of fruit flies, after a few short generations...

As humans (Homo Sapiens) migrated around the world, after departing from equatorial Africa, in several impulses, between 50-120,000 years ago, various tribes acquired different characteristics, resulting in Asian, Oriental, Caucasian appearances, and so on...However, the true test of what a species consists of, is whether or not, two contrasting members of a species can produce viable offspring...

A horse and a donkey can produce a mule, however the mule is infertile!

Neanderthals, which are greater than 99% genetically identical to Homo Sapiens, lived alongside tribes of modern day humans, for 10,000 years in Eastern Europe & Germany. They buried their dead, hunted in groups, and were able to grunt communications with one another. Even today, scientists are not 100% sure that cross-mating did not occur...

It was actually the capacity for speech, more than anything else, that distinguishes us as a species, from the earlier versions of man (Homo)...

Regardless, Neanderthals died out, and Homo Sapiens are still here (us)...We too, though, may change in the years to come. Already the Human Blood Type has mutated from "O" to "A", "O" to "B", and from an "A" & a "B", to "AB"...So perhaps in 100,000 years from now, a new species may look back, and remember the ancient Homo Sapiens, who have had wars for the past 5,000 years consecutively & depleted the earth of much of its resources? Maybe they will reclassify us as Homo Aggressor, and call themselves, true Homo Sapiens (which means Knowing/Wise Man)...

Perhaps these ideas will help inspire you!

Answer 3

There is only a 1% difference between the Human genome and chimpanzee's genome. Human's differ by less than 1/2 of 1% no matter what race they are. Really, race is a misleading characterization that implies differentness. There is virtually no differences between humans, whether man, woman, or whatever. Skin tone is only that--skin tone. Any perceived differences is due to culture or perceived culture. (My sister says that I lack culture, so who knows?!)

If you're interested in a novel look at human evolution, get "Time, Sex and Power" (I forget the author). It should be available in your local library. The guy who wrote it is a doctor with wide interests, and delves into what we know about human evolution (humans, as we know them, have only been around for the last 150,000 years).

There is almost no evidence that humans and other species ever mixed. There are few differences amongst humans, and only a handful between us and apes, our closest neighbor on the primate tree. And, there is no way that apes and humans can breed and create young. There is a huge difference between us and most other mammals.

So, that comes back to perceived differences between humans. There are no differences, from a genetic standpoint. Culturally and socially, there are differences. Any differences are purely cultural and learned. It has been genetically proven beyond doubt that we all came from the same black mother somewhere around Lake Victoria on the African continent. Rejoice in our similarities, acknowledge our differences, and re-teach yourself to love your neighbor as you love yourself.

Answer 4

Because all humans can trace ancestry to one woman roughly 200,000 years ago which is a short time. The genes responsible for the variation in skin tone, facial features and hair texture make up a minute amount of human DNA. We use those differences in physical features to determine race socially. Genetically humans are very identical, a species is defined loosely as a population who can breed with eachother and is very genetically similar. Different species of the same genus can create offspring but there is not evidence for there being different species within humanity.

Answer 5

Species didn't mix. There only was one species, unless homospaiens met with neanderthals. This isn't dogs and wolves.

I agree with reading the culture book some other guy had mentioned above.

Answer 6

There is a Book you should pick up called Cultural Anthropology by Cummings. That should answer a few questions for you.

Changes occurred with diet, climate changes and variations in environment and changes in genetics through inter marriage....

Answer 7

True. You are on the right track.Different races have different abilities, different talents, their bodies are different, their brains are different. Certain mixtures have resulted in big improvements. Certain other mixtures have resulted in making people less human in the eyes of the Creator ... There are angels of generation working over thousands of years at this; it is a very important study.

Answer 8

If we all looked the same it would not be interesting

Answer 9

Different cultures and habits.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groupthink