Europeans can have blond, brown, auburn, chestnut, and red hair. They can have blue, green, hazel, and light brown eyes. However generaly speaking, Asians and Africans all have black hair and very dark brown eyes? Why do europeans have so much diversity and not the other people?
2007-01-02 08:44:37 · 7 answers · asked by ihaveissues 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
They inhabited the greatest number of northern territories where colors other than brown or dark were necessary for survival (vitamin D production!)
2007-01-02 08:47:06 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The continent with the highest genetic diversity is Africa. East Africans are genetically more closely related to Caucasians than they are to West Africans.
You are referring to phenotypical diversity, which varies according to climate etc.
Perhaps there is more variation because much of Europe was colder than Africa and Asia (Siberia not withstanding), and this reduced the mixing of a lot of tribes and large colonies, particularly those that were isolated from each other. So any traits such as red hair, blue eyes etc, remained within certain areas.
2007-01-02 09:17:22 · answer #2 · answered by Terracinese 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Overall, Europeans (being a relatively young race) probably have less overall genetic diversity than other races but they do appear to be less homogeneous in terms of hair color, hair texture and eye color. Europeans derive from Marsh Arabs (Middle Easterners). Proto-Europeans lost the melanin in their skin because it interfered with the last step of Vit D synthesis which requires sunshine striking one's skin. The loss of melanin might have revealed eye and hair color pigments that are present in other races but are masked by the darker pigments present. Europeans were also invaded by Africans (Hannibal) and Asians (Genghis Khan). I'm white but I have Asian-shaped eyes (Genghis Khan and the boys apparently did more than collect taxes in my ancestral home!). Good question!
2007-01-02 09:11:42 · answer #3 · answered by ivorytowerboy 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
They lived in an environment where darkness was not neccessary for survival, where physical diversity was insignificant.
2007-01-02 08:49:29 · answer #4 · answered by Tailpipe 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1. i think history is the best answer.... just think how many natios are gathered from many directions
2. the continent is small, thats why you see it so mixed and is divided in countries (with strong political, economic boundaries)... thats why we could kept our own specific genetic...
but from historycal perspective you can see some changes....
bilogically i dont know... ;)
2007-01-02 09:06:03 · answer #5 · answered by parazita 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
they were right in middle of many past wars
so, some mixing
2007-01-02 08:46:36 · answer #6 · answered by kurticus1024 7 · 0⤊ 2⤋
heredity, environment.
2007-01-02 08:46:40 · answer #7 · answered by sennachie1973 5 · 1⤊ 2⤋