In about 20-50 years? Why are they so rare?
2007-10-21 13:00:23 · 9 answers · asked by Dnndsnddbusdbdbdb 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Botany
Expression of this phenotype is rare and recessive. If there was a complete intermarriage with people without red hair expression the trait would decrease. See Hardy-Weinburg equilibrium equations.
http://anthro.palomar.edu/synthetic/synth_2.htm
This is offset by people preferring the rarity of the color so it is actively selected for. This is why there are so many eye and hair colors in European ancestry. Given the choice people prefer the rare color.
http://pages.globetrotter.net/peter_frost61z/European-hair-and-eye-color.htm
Once the genes for fair skin and eye color appeared they became subject to natural selection.
http://www.gnxp.com/blog/2005/08/beyond-mc1r.php
There are two genes that are now known to produce the red hair phenotype.
MC1R, converts phomelanin to eumelanin to gives hair its brown/black coloration. If the phomelanin is left the hair is red. MC1R that comes either in the dominant functional or the recessive dysfunctional MC1R, but actually has 7-9 known alleles thought to associate with red hair.
In addition, there seems to be at least one gene responsible for red hair. This gene, HCL2, occurs at a higher frequency in some populations. This gene is also called RHC for red hair color.
http://goupstate.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?category=NEWS&template=wiki&text=red_hair
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/dispomim.cgi?id=266300
2007-10-21 14:17:45 · answer #1 · answered by gardengallivant 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Reed, T.E., 1952. “Red hair colour as a genetical character,” Annals of Eugenics, 17:115–139
Michelson, Nicholas, 1934. “Distribution of red hair according to age,” American Journal of Physical Anthropology, 18(3):407–413
Eiberg, H., and J. Mohr, 1987. “Major locus for red hair color linked to MNS blood groups on chromosome 4,” Clinical Genetics, 32(2):125–128
Also see http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_80720.html
Not to worry. Lots of redheads,and not endangered in any way.
Only the Seattle Times has issued a statement that redheads will soon be gone, no one else has agreed there is any credence to this story. See http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/living/2002266852_redhair09.html
2007-10-21 20:23:05 · answer #2 · answered by oklatom 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Red hair is typically not a dominant gene. # of people with natural red hair is not increasing.........not sure how many years until "extinction", though.
2007-10-21 20:04:40 · answer #3 · answered by squeet3 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I hope we don't go extinct lol
But your right, we are a rare species pml
2007-10-25 18:52:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
i never heard of it but now that i think of it i dont see many red heads.... i hope not... it would kill the diverse in the world!
2007-10-21 20:07:55 · answer #5 · answered by lilblueeyesboy69 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
No no no no no no, ignore that, that's ridiculous. There's trillions of them out there, chill.
2007-10-21 20:03:38 · answer #6 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
no never wherever did you hear that, its absurd
2007-10-21 20:12:50 · answer #7 · answered by ♥BEX♥ 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Dear god I hope not!!!
2007-10-22 01:17:10 · answer #8 · answered by Sean B 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
ive never heard that?!?!?
2007-10-21 20:08:03 · answer #9 · answered by ? 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋