European light skin gene really found?

[T E Peterman]

There may have been any number of mutations that affected pigmentation, or hair color, or eye color.

I think the point of this is that this particular mutation affects pigmentation, can be found today from Europe to India, and appears to be only 10,000 years old.

Neanderthal complexions may have been determined by a different set of mutations.

Timothy Peterman

[1798]

Just saw this article about a gene mutation which happened in one person 10,000 years ago between India and the Middle East which is responsible for the light skin colour of people in Europe, Middle East and south India. How valid do you guys think this claim is?

http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/th...pos=0&at_tot=1

Neanderthals had light skin and lived more than 10,000 years ago.

[T E Peterman]

Likely true. A recent analysis of Mesolithic Europeans (ca 5,000 BC) showed that they had dark skin (brown/ black), but blue eyes. This population was present before the arrival of Indo European speaking Anatolians.

Since the vast majority of all people have historically had dark skin, I wonder if an adaptive value for light skin can be identified? Particularly when one considers that this mutation didn't occur in the North Circumpolar folks, but rather between the Middle East & India. Could it be associated with lactose digestion in adulthood? That's what some have suggested.

Timothy Peterman

[Hando]

Just saw this article about a gene mutation which happened in one person 10,000 years ago between India and the Middle East which is responsible for the light skin colour of people in Europe, Middle East and south India. How valid do you guys think this claim is?

http://www.irishcentral.com/roots/the-light-skin-of-the-irish-can-be-traced-to-india-and-the-middle-east-239166271-239671671.html#at_pco=smlwn-1.0&at_si=537ff94860d22145&at_ab=per-1&at_pos=0&at_tot=1