Much speculation has been made over the years about why so many Solomon Island natives have blond hair. The result makes for memorable photography of the people of the region. In a recent study, however, geneticists have discovered a gene unrelated to the blond gene in Europeans, is behind the phenomenon:
"The reason why some five to 10 percent of the islanders are blond comes down to simple genetics -- a gene called TYRP1 that natives of the Solomon Islands possess but Europeans do not, said the study in the US journal Science.
"So the human characteristic of blond hair arose independently in equatorial Oceania. That's quite unexpected and fascinating," said lead author Eimear Kenny, a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University in California."
Check out this article from the Medical Press for more on the story.
"The reason why some five to 10 percent of the islanders are blond comes down to simple genetics -- a gene called TYRP1 that natives of the Solomon Islands possess but Europeans do not, said the study in the US journal Science.
"So the human characteristic of blond hair arose independently in equatorial Oceania. That's quite unexpected and fascinating," said lead author Eimear Kenny, a postdoctoral scholar at Stanford University in California."
Check out this article from the Medical Press for more on the story.
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