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Post by Taylor on Mar 4, 2006 11:49:57 GMT -5
More along the line of genetic study and human sciences, though worthy of a brief note. Researchers say the tradition of blondes having more fun goes back to the end of the Ice Age. A report from the University of St. Andrews, published this week in Evolution and Human Behavior, says north European women evolved blond hair and blue eyes to make them stand out from their rivals at a time of fierce competition for scarce males, the Sunday Times of London reported. Researchers say it appears blond hair originated in the region because of food shortages 10,000-11,000 years ago. Many men died in long, arduous hunting trips for food, leading to a high ratio of surviving women to men. Lighter hair colors, which started as rare mutations, became popular for breeding, the study said. An analysis of north European genes carried out at three Japanese universities has isolated the date of the genetic mutation that resulted in blond hair to about 11,000 years ago. A study by the World Health Organization found that natural blondes are likely to be extinct within 200 years because there are too few people carrying the blond gene, the newspaper said. Photo Copyright Getty Images www.13wham.com/news/weird_news/story.aspx?content_id=002419D7-5B12-4AA7-8E1A-04B314D0D3FB
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Post by Azurerana on Mar 5, 2006 13:01:15 GMT -5
This article says nothing about women preferring blond men. (Do they even care? Last I heard, the stereotype was still tall, dark and handsome). That might change the hypothesis significantly. Other populations than Scandanavians/north Europeans have natural blonds including native Australian and Africans. Can't say I' ve ever seen a natural blond Asian, but I've never really looked, nor have I been to Asia. Does this study have implications for other ethnic groups?
In European populations, blondness is also linked to extremely light skin and pale eyes. Are they just talking hair color, or all Nordic characteristics?
Speaking of hair, we know what a natural blond is, but what about someone with natural blond hair and a red beard? I knew a Norweigian/German like that once. Does he count as a blond?
What is the skinny on blonde kids who grow up to be darkhaired adults? My mom was blonde until she was about 10, but when I knew her, her hair was dark brown.
How about Milanese Italians, who have a distinct trait of being tall, blonde and blue-eyed? (My maternal ancestors--paternal Germans were short and dark but from Saxony.)
Oh well, it's something inane to talk about and to serve as distraction from the real news.
It's redheads who are really endangered.
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