New research shows that people with blue eyes have a single, common ancestor. A team at the University of Copenhagen have tracked down a genetic mutation which took place 6-10,000 years ago and is the cause of the eye colour of all blue-eyed humans alive on the planet today.
“Originally, we all had brown eyes”, said Professor Eiberg from the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine. “But a genetic mutation affecting the OCA2 gene in our chromosomes resulted in the creation of a “switch”, which literally “turned off” the ability to produce brown eyes”. The OCA2 gene codes for the so-called P protein, which is involved in the production of melanin, the pigment that gives colour to our hair, eyes and skin. The “switch”, which is located in the gene adjacent to OCA2 does not, however, turn off the gene entirely, but rather limits its action to reducing the production of melanin in the iris – effectively “diluting” brown eyes to blue…
Variation in the colour of the eyes from brown to green can all be explained by the amount of melanin in the iris, but blue-eyed individuals only have a small degree of variation in the amount of melanin in their eyes. “From this we can conclude that all blue-eyed individuals are linked to the same ancestor,” says Professor Eiberg. “They have all inherited the same switch at exactly the same spot in their DNA.” Brown-eyed individuals, by contrast, have considerable individual variation in the area of their DNA that controls melanin production.
This isn’t a positive or negative mutation, of course. Not that the fact will prevent the ignorant from value judgements.
Like, how you interpret the headline for this post.
Apes have brown eyes so this is ‘No shit Sherlock’.
I always thought that the people in the northland, Vikings and such, developed blue eyes because there was much less sun up there. Blue eyes are less tolerant to the sun than brown eyes.
Those Damned Dirty Apes!
It’s a positive mutation! I love blue eyes, even though mine are green.
Cool. This means I’m related to Frank Sinatra.
I guess they figured the mutation hasn’t ever happened again in nearly 10,000 years?
ASS|U|ME nothing when it comes to genetics. Mutations happen every day.
Aside from non-sequiturs like #5 – if you take the time to spiral out from this article, you’ll learn that the blue-eyed DNA originated in Afghanistan.
#1 – It certainly has nothing to do with “less light” in the north. There is certainly a dark period but there is also the midnight sun. There are more extremes up there. Try staggering around a white snow-covered landscape on a sunny day and tell me how there’s “less light”.
I’m a mutant? SWEEEEEET 😀
Why be normal?
Okay Blue-Eyed posters…
What is your secret X-Man Mutant power?
Lol, all variation is caused by mutations.
I can read people’s minds. I know what your thinking! Stop it!
7. I live in the northland and I have blue eyes. It sucks ass.
My girlfriend and I both have blue eyes. Does this mean we’re committing incest?
#13 – Exactly.
#10 – I can belch loud enough to make old ladies a mile away puke.
I once saw some National Geographic show, where they were mapping mutations of the Y chromosome around the globe and finding related tribes and peoples. By checking the genome they come up with the original father, a Fellow that existed thousands of years ago in southern Africa, and from whom we’re all descendants. All of us.
People don’t realize that humans have less genetic variation than, for instance, dogs. That means that sometime in the past we were reduced to just a handful of individuals. We all all brothers.
Here’s the link…
http://tinyurl.com/37c28b
#6
Then by current Whitehouse logic all the blue eyed folk are terrorists.
My sister has one blue and one brown eye. What did her DNA do?
Only one other primate species has truly blue eyes – not surprisingly, the Blue-eyed Black Lemur.
If blue eyes are outlawed, only outlaws will have blue eyes.
But my wife and I both have blue eyes, and we dont even live in Mississippi. Ewwwwww.
Just kidding.
Hits been ambiguously stated, but yes, we are all mutated monkeys.
And our children are mutating into who knows what.
My son mutated into a 22 year old sponge (and life critic).
#25–made me laugh. So–you have proof of speciation within a human lifetime. Excellent. That’ll show those creationists!
There must be more to this than meets the eye, if we’re all descended from one chance mutation. Aren’t blue eyes supposed to be a “recessive” gene?
I knew I was special!!!
Thank you eurasian adam!!!
#19
Your sister may be a “chimera” and has the DNA of two different human beings. This means you have two, two sisters in one.
Awww yeah, TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES!
Except with blue eyes instead of turtle eyes.
#10, OFTLO,
Okay Blue-Eyed posters…
What is your secret X-Man Mutant power?
Well, when I see an attractive, blue eyed blond (with blond roots) I can get it up in under 10 minutes !!! Go ahead, top that, mortal.
NOTE: Brown eyed blonds (with dark roots) take longer.