European light skin gene really found?

[1798]

Ready for a surprise?

I am L21+, M222+, S660+, which is as Celtic as anybody could be, complete with milky white skin and green eyes. HOWEVER, following Big Y analysis, it turns out that I also have a far upstream SNP marker, very ancient, which indicates that I also have an African Aborigine marker.

And I suspect that the new Next Generation SNP testing such as Big Y will produce numerous other similar results.

The fact that all of our ancestors came from Africa then we must have the same but I am only interested in the most recent markers. Those within the last 1000 years which seem to be the hardest ones to find.

[Tourist]

Those within the last 1000 years which seem to be the hardest ones to find.

Yes, I participate on a few yDNA projects, and the past 1,000 years or so have the most interest there, too. However, I had heard the theory that modern humans originated in Africa tens of thousands of years ago, but that theory then took on new meaning for me when I learned that I legitimately could claim to be part African Aborigine!

[massmanute]

...I wonder if an adaptive value for light skin can be identified? ...

Timothy Peterman

Old thread I realize, but I think the most popular and plausible theory is that light skin relates to the ability to make vitamin D from sunlight more efficiently in climates with limited sunlight available.

[Carpathian]

Old thread I realize, but I think the most popular and plausible theory is that light skin relates to the ability to make vitamin D from sunlight more efficiently in climates with limited sunlight available.

Think about available sunlight at the equator vs. north pole. Also think about what edible vegetation can grow or not be grown in either place, or in-between. Then think in terms of history about how long any group of people has been immobile in their surroundings, usually over millennia. Then think about skin color.