Posted on 07/06/2014 5:09:47 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
Scientists believe the gene that causes red hair could die out if temperatures continue to rise
Polar bears and Emperor penguins aren't the only species under threat due to climate change.
Gingers could become extinct as a result of increasingly sunny skies, experts have warned.
Scientists believe the gene that causes red hair is an evolutionary response to cloudy skies and allows inhabitants to get as much Vitamin D as possible.
But if predictions of rising temperatures and blazing sunshine across the British Isles turn out to be correct, flaming red heads could cease to exist within centuries.
While only 1% to 2% of the world’s population are ginger, in the north of the UK, where the weather tends to be more gloomy, this number is much higher.
In Scotland 650,000 (about 13% of the population) have red hair and, according to a study carried out last year, 40% of those living in Edinburgh are thought to carry the red hair/blue eye gene.
In the North and West of the UK, 29% of the population are believed to have the gene.
Dr Alistair Moffat, managing director of Galashiels-based ScotlandsDNA, said: “We think red hair in Scotland, Ireland and in the North of England is adaption to the climate.
“I think the reason for light skin and red hair is that we do not get enough sun and we have to get all the Vitamin D we can.
“If the climate is changing and it is to become more cloudy or less cloudy then this will affect the gene.
“If it was to get less cloudy and there was more sun, then yes, there would be fewer people carrying the gene.”
(Excerpt) Read more at mirror.co.uk ...
That ol' glowbull warmthing hockey puck, er, stick is threatening to delete your DNA if you are... ;-)
It IS settled science after all... ;-)
[. . .flaming red heads could cease to exist within centuries.]
If we have “centuries” then climate change can’t be that drastic.
Ginger women are pretty hot.
As long as it means more Mary Anns, I’m fine with it.
Yes they are - even hotter than blondes.
I speak from experience...and lived to tell about it.
There were redheads in ancient Israel. There have been redheads in the southern US for 400 years. I don’t think they’re going anywhere.
That hot, eh, but crazy?
Worthless.
They didn’t specify green eyed gingers or hazel eyed gingers.
Also, there is controversy over whether or not hazel or auburn hair counts as ginger or not, which also wasn’t addressed.
Article leaves more questions than it purports to answer.
So many fantastic colors, I feel in a wonderland Many fantastic colors makes me feel so good You've got that pure feel, such good responses Got that rainbow feel but the rainbow has a beard
they could become extinct because nobody wants to boink a traffic cone .... now auburn hair versus bozo orange hair ....another story.
Global warming scientists could become extinct if the evidence is weighed in a scientific manner.
You didn't go to my high school. The guys weren't terribly particular.
/johnny
Well ...... sh*t happens .
There is always Clairol.
Wonder if this isn’t where the saying about experts got started. You know.....the one that says an expert is just an amateur from out of town.
Maybe this is where the saying about experts being “amateurs from out of town” got started.
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