Why do blue eyes exist?

A genetic mutation affecting the OCA2 gene in our chromosomes resulted in the creation of a “switch”, which “turned off” the ability to produce brown eyes. The OCA2 gene codes for the 'P protein', which is involved in the production of melanin (the pigment that determines the colour of our eyes, skin and hair).

Why did humans develop blue eyes?

Vitamin D Theory. One theory is the Vitamin D hypothesis, which is the idea that light colored skin, hair, and eyes co-evolved as humans moved into latitudes with shorter days, shorter summers, and therefore, less sunlight.

Where do blue eyes originally come from?

Scientists concluded that every blue-eyed person on the world today can trace their ancestry back to a single European who probably lived about 10,000 years ago in the Black Sea region and who first developed a specific mutation that accounts for the now widespread iris coloration.

What is the truth about blue eyes?

Blue eyes are rare, making up just 8-10% of the world's population. Blue eyes are caused by a relative lack of melanin in the iris. Just like your skin and hair, how much melanin you have determines your eye color. All eyes are technically brown because melanin itself is brown.

Will blue eyes become extinct?

Well, no. We cleared up that rumor about redheads going extinct; the same goes for blue eyes. While the trait is becoming more rare, it's unlikely it will disappear all together. Which is crazy when you consider that 10,000 years ago blue eyes didn't even exist.

The Truth About Blue Eyes

What is the rarest eye color?

Green Eyes

Green is considered by some to be the actual rarest eye color in the world, though others would say it's been dethroned by red, violet, and grey eyes.

Are blue eyes traced back to one person?

Researchers have finally located the mutation that causes blue eyes, and the findings suggest that all blue-eyed humans share a single common ancestor born 6000 to 10,000 years ago. Researchers have implicated the OCA2 gene in several eye colors.

Who was the first blue eyed person?

In 2006, researchers discovered a 7,000 year old body from the Stone Age in the La Brana cave system in Leon in Northern Spain (Image 4). Genetic testing determined that this man had blue eyes. It was not in itself unusual, but what is remarkable is that he is the earliest known person with blue eyes.

Can blue eyes see better in the dark?

Blue eyes. This is the next most common eye color, encompassing about 10% of the population. While blue eyes are more sensitive to light during the day, people with blue eyes tend to see better at night – unless there are bright lights.

What race has first blue eyes?

A couple of years ago, scientist determined that BLUE EYES was a MUTATION that occurred around 6,000 years ago and it stems from A BLACK MALE AFRICAN ORIGIN. They report several archeological proofs puts this event around the BLACK SEA AREA.

Could all blue eyed people be related?

New research shows that people with blue eyes have a single, common ancestor. Scientists have tracked down a genetic mutation which took place 6,000-10,000 years ago and is the cause of the eye color of all blue-eyed humans alive on the planet today.

Are all blue eyed people related?

blue eyes descend from a single genetic mutation means that every single person on the planet with blue eyes descended from one common ancestor. In fact, a team of geneticists at the University of Copenhagen actually traced that mutation all the way back to a single Danish family.

Do blue eyes fade with age?

In most people, the answer is no. Eye color fully matures in infancy and remains the same for life. But in a small percentage of adults, eye color can naturally become either noticeably darker or lighter with age. What determines eye color is the pigment melanin.

Why did blonde hair evolve?

The general explanation as to how blondes came into being, is related the need for Vitamin D and lower levels of sunlight in some regions. To compensate for the deficiency in sunlight, people with lighter hair and skin were born.

What is the prettiest eye color?

We found that green is the most popular lens colour, with brown coming in a close second, despite it being one of the most common eye colours. Although blue and hazel are seen as the most attractive eye colours for men and women they are surprisingly the least popular.

Did Elizabeth Taylor have purple eyes?

Did Elizabeth Taylor have violet eyes? These days, thanks to colored contact lenses, anyone can have violet-colored eyes . Taylor didn't come by her purple peepers that way; the first tinted contact lenses weren't commercially available until 1983. Taylor's eye color was the real deal.

Can 2 blue eyed parents have a brown eyed child?

Can two parents with blue eyes have a child with brown eyes? Yes, blue-eyed parents can definitely have a child with brown eyes. Or green or hazel eyes for that matter. If you stayed awake during high school biology, you might find this answer surprising.

What are the benefits of blue eyes?

Advantages of Blue Eyes

A big advantage to blue eyes is that research shows they might be linked to a lower risk of developing cataracts. Cataracts are clouding of the eye's lens. According to some studies, blue eyes may have evolved because these individuals were able to cope better with seasonal affective disorders.

Are we all born with blue eyes?

Are All Babies Born With Blue Eyes? It's a common belief that all babies are born with blue eyes, but this is actually a myth. A baby's eye colour at birth depends on genetics. Brown is also common, for example, but a newborn baby's eyes can range in colour from slate grey to black.

Did the Vikings have blue eyes?

Blue eyes were very common among Northern Vikings, while brown eyes were more common in the Viking settlements of England, Ireland, and mainland Europe. In modern times, most people who claim to be of Viking descent have blonde hair and blue eyes, but that doesn't mean that all Vikings shared this appearance.

Who has the bluest eyes in the world?

The Buton tribe is located exactly in the province of Southeastern Celebés (Sulawesi), and all its members have eyes of a deep blue, even more than any Nordic person. The contrast with their dark skin makes them stand out even more. One can see that their eyes are of a spectacular clear blue.

Can Africans have blue eyes?

African-Americans with blue eyes are not unheard of, but they are pretty rare. There are lots of ways for this to happen. Some possible ways an African-American person might have ended up with blue eyes are: Caucasian relatives in their ancestry (the most likely reason)

What nationality is dark hair and blue eyes?

Meanwhile, black-haired people or people with black hair and blue eyes can be located in any region around the world. Girl with black hair blue eyes or people with black hair and blue eyes naturally are most found in Europe, Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia.

Do purple eyes exist?

Yes, natural purple eyes are possible. There are many different shades of blues and greys out there and many in-between colors. Although very rare, some people's natural pigmentation can even be violet or purple in color.