White Europeans evolved only ‘5,500 years ago’

The Sunday Times ^ | August 30, 2009 | Jonathan Leake

[decimon]

White Europeans could have evolved as recently as 5,500 years ago, according to research which suggests that the early humans who populated Britain and Scandinavia had dark skins for millenniums.

It was only when early humans gave up hunter-gathering and switched to farming about 5,500 years ago that white skin began to be favoured, say the researchers.

This is because farmed food was deficient in vitamin D, a vital nutrient. Humans can make this in their skin when exposed to sunlight, but dark skin is much less efficient at it.

In places such as northern Europe, where sunlight levels are low, the ability to make vitamin D more efficiently could have been crucial to survival.

[ZULU]

I read somewhere that skeletal features can be plastic to a degree. I.e. that people with certain skeletal features and presuambly other physical features, can morph over time depending on the climate.

This was used to explain the decidedly un-Indian appearance of Kennewic (spelling?) man, although in in that case, I think the jury is still out about European and African migrants reaching the Americas along with Asian immigrants.

North American Native Americans look more “Asian” and even, in some cases, more “European” while some South American Native Americans look slightly African.

[Nikas777]

That is true. I think I read that when the British took over asian colonies they took in a massive starch diet (rice) which changed their facial appearance, especially their teeth.

I think I read that in Penguin's "History of the World"?

[Nikas777]

Two theories regarding Caucasian facial features of early Native Americans - Ice age travels across the North Atlantic or Caucasians and Mongoloid stocks both crossed the Bearing land bride at the same time.

DNA evidence only shows Mongoloid stock so if it did happen there was limited inter-mixing.

[SunkenCiv]

The mtDNA cheerleaders overstate their claims, at best. :’)

[SunkenCiv]

• Men From Early Middle Ages Were Nearly As Tall As Modern People
• Medieval Ancestors Measured Up To Our Height Standards

[SunkenCiv]

Why Did People Become White?
Live Science | 9/2/2009 | Heather Whipps
Posted on 09/02/2009 12:47:20 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2330633/posts

...and yet...

The Mystery Behind the 5,000 Year Old Tarim Mummies
Environmental Graffiti | 31 Aug 2009 | EG
Posted on 08/31/2009 2:18:47 PM PDT by BGHater
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2328876/posts

[Lynne]

Milleniums in not in my 1936 Websters.

[rmlew]

White Europeans could have evolved as recently as 5,500 years ago, according to research which suggests that the early humans who populated Britain and Scandinavia had dark skins for millenniums.

Shouldn't that be "millennia"?

[decimon]

Shouldn't that be "millennia"?

That was covered too well over the course of the thread.

[Lockbar]

"Whitey stole Europe, too?

LOL, good one! Horrible whitey stole everything! The root of all EVIL!

[Einherjar]

My latest blood tests revealed I am low on Vit D

....will I devolve ?