Interesting. But I have to take issue with something from the linked article:
"The mutation of brown eyes to blue represents neither a positive nor a negative mutation. It is one of several mutations such as hair colour, baldness, freckles and beauty spots, which neither increases nor reduces a human’s chance of survival."
Can't say I necessarily agree with that. While I get the distinction they're trying to make vs a mutation like, say, DeltaF508 in CFTR (which very definitely decreases chances of survival...though even this isn't straightforward, of course), I disagree that this mutation is "neutral". Is it not likely that blue eyes are, in many cultures, quite desirable in potential sexual partners (see Paul Newman)? And if so, can we not say that this mutation increases "survival" (from the point-of-view of the gene, rather than the organism)?
Can we not say that if there is even a slight increase in sexual desirability associated with this mutation, then it is a "positive" one from the standpoint of the survival of that mutation in the population?
When they make a movie of your life story, there is no other actor who should be allowed to play the part.
ReplyDelete(Us brown-eyes have always thought that blue-eyes seemed suspiciously inbred.)
Yes. I have always said that Paul Newman and I look alike.
ReplyDeleteFunny!
ReplyDeleteInteresting. But I have to take issue with something from the linked article:
ReplyDelete"The mutation of brown eyes to blue represents neither a positive nor a negative mutation. It is one of several mutations such as hair colour, baldness, freckles and beauty spots, which neither increases nor reduces a human’s chance of survival."
Can't say I necessarily agree with that. While I get the distinction they're trying to make vs a mutation like, say, DeltaF508 in CFTR (which very definitely decreases chances of survival...though even this isn't straightforward, of course), I disagree that this mutation is "neutral". Is it not likely that blue eyes are, in many cultures, quite desirable in potential sexual partners (see Paul Newman)? And if so, can we not say that this mutation increases "survival" (from the point-of-view of the gene, rather than the organism)?
Can we not say that if there is even a slight increase in sexual desirability associated with this mutation, then it is a "positive" one from the standpoint of the survival of that mutation in the population?
Is there a similar, or whatever, explanation for blond hair?
ReplyDelete