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Skin Color Biology

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In the video, The Biology of Skin Color, Dr. Nina Jablonski explains “that the variation in skin color that evolved since our human ancestors migrated out of Africa can be explained by the tradeoff between protection from UV and the need for some UV absorption for the production of vitamin D” (Dr. Jablonski). What I found most interesting was that genes can influence skin and hair pigmentation in many ways. The overall color of the skin results from both the number of pigment-making cells which are called melanocytes and their level of activity. Nearly all skin types possess the ability to tan. Tanning is caused by an exposure to UV radiation which results in the simulation of melanin production in the body. Currently over 20 genes have been …show more content…

The reason racism should be outlawed is simple. The biology behind the difference in skin color is a very complex, but to simplify it, the only commonly known difference is melanin production within your skin cells. Pigmentation is predominantly due to the existence of an important pigment called melanin, which is coordinated by 6 genes. Everyone has melanin, light and dark people. “Nonetheless, two forms are produced--pheomelanin , which is red to yellow in color, and eumelanin , which is dark brown to black“(Lisa Bodnar). Skin color has created a diverse population in society as we know it. Differences within race among various populations conclude that there was more than one evolutionary event. Today, while we don’t have fossil skin from our African hominin ancestors (Homo erectus), it’s probable that they were dark, as are African populations now. Earlier ancestors may have had lighter skin. Now, take a look at our closest relatives, chimps and gorillas, their skin the actual parts underneath the hair are unpigmented. Only the parts exposed to UV are pigmented. The color of our early ancestors was probably fairly light. (Jerry A.

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1456 Words | 6 Pages

Scientific reasons for race and how it doesn’t correlate to race is shown in Document 5 that different human species should be divided into four groups based on their alleged characteristics and mark themselves with certain things like paints or garments. The document is trying to explain race and categorization of races through the people’s supposed characteristics and only using four groups, proving the correlation between race and scientific reasoning doesn’t work. Also, in Document 10, it’s explained that the four race categories are all “degenerate” forms to “God’s original creation,” and were classified biologically into different groups who were non-Caucasian. This document also explains that race and scientific reasoning does not correlate because it talks about how other races are “downgraded” versions of white and just split them into groups just by looks using colors, creating these unrealistic races with colors, without taking into account any physical scientific reasoning, proving there’s no correlation between race and scientific reasoning, that it was just led on by social and economic reasons. Lastly, in Document 11’s section, it explains that race doesn’t explain human variation and that us humans have a

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2263 Words | 10 Pages

There were people in Africa with darker skin tone than in the middle-east. There were people in England with lighter skin tone than in the middle-east. There

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685 Words | 3 Pages

Because of this, knowing the genetics behind our ancestors through genetic markers, it’s safe to say that “we are all African under the skin.” The concept of different races and segregation is only an idea that the human population has somehow managed to create over the years; while people may be of different colors and have recent ancestors who were born in different places around the world, we all have one ancient, common ancestor, the

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478 Words | 2 Pages

Have People ever thought about different color people? Have people ever wonder about slaves and how they were treated? Think about adults, children, and baby hands piling up. For example, people color like blue, green, and purple.

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532 Words | 3 Pages

Racism can be dehumanizing and can be destructive. Racism is not just against black or Africans but it can be aimed towards anytime of ethnicity. Summary: Throughout time people of different skin tones have lived together, that does not mean that they necessarily enjoyed each other.

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793 Words | 4 Pages

Every year, the indoor-tanning industry makes approximately 5 billion dollars (Wingert). Tanning attracts all different kinds of people for numerous reasons. People want that crisp glow and dark skin that is not always offered during every season. There are individuals who believe tanning is beneficial; however, others believe that tanning is not healthy because of research. It is proven through research that tanning can lead in negative outcomes because of the strength of the rays, decreased vitamin D, and the increased risk for Skin Cancer.

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1257 Words | 6 Pages

George Best describes in his document how people often misunderstand what race is, thinking it to be the fault of the sun, but he describes in his novel that the dark skin of those who live to the south of him was actually a punishment direct from god for being cruel during the biblical flood, (Doc. 2) [B]. While this explanation relies heavily on simple stories, the attempt to describe why some are different through religion is a way to have people widely conform to modern conceptions of race; people always look to god [C]. In another document, David Hume describes that he believes those with white skin are inherently better than those with darker skin, stating questionable and untrue facts about there never being a major African civilization, see Ghana or Mali.

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1384 Words | 6 Pages

Imagine being judged and looked down on because of your skin complexion. People should pay attention more to a person's character rather than the shade of his or her skin. Colorism has always been an issue for the black community. People should promote the beauty in all shades and not one over the other. The solution is for the communities that we live in to not accept the standard that society places on beauty, promote self-worth and happiness.

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1174 Words | 5 Pages

Vitiligo is a disease that causes the loss of skin color in blotches on the body. It is a condition where the extent and rate of the color loss is unpredictable and can depend greatly on the person with the condition. Vitiligo can affect any part of the skin on the body, and there are no limits on where or how much of the disease can spread (Mayo Clinic). Vitiligo is not frequent in the global population. Studies show that vitiligo has a frequency of 0.1-2.0% in the various populations (Spritz 2003).

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634 Words | 3 Pages

Within the Homo sapiens species, it is also eye-opening to note that we have about half the genetic uniqueness of corn. Most of this is accounted for by the improvement of genome sequencing technology over the past decade. While there is no genetic basis to race, there certainly are biology benefits to having different skin color in different

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1033 Words | 5 Pages

People may object “surely, I can see race with my bare eyes!” However, it is not race we see, but the superficial visible biological diversity within our species; variation in traits such as skin color, hair form and eye shape. This variation is not enough to justify racial classification. Our biological diversity is too small, and too smoothly distributed across geographic space, for race to be real. When scientists apply the standard criteria to determine whether there are subspecies/races in humans, none are found.

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978 Words | 4 Pages

“In fact, Western standards of beauty once valued pale skin as well. The term “blue blood,” that is used to describe royalty was coined because royals spent so little time in the sun that their blue-hued veins were visible underneath their skin” (http://blog.tutorming.com/expats/chinese-standards-of-beauty.

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996 Words | 4 Pages

Racism has always existed with humans. Racism is treating someone differently of unfairly simply because they belong to a different ethnic community of have a different religion or nationality. When someone believes their race is better than another and feels superior ro other people because of his of her race, is called racism. Throughout time, many people have lost their lives, or lost their families and children, and are left without homes due to racism. Racism causes wars, which could destroy humanity ultimately.

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1080 Words | 5 Pages

What 's racism? Racism is the belief that an exact race is superior or inferior to another, that an individual 's social and moral traits are predetermined by way of his or her inborn traits or in different words the belief that each one individuals of each race possess characteristics, skills, or qualities specified to that race, in particular in order to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races. Racism has many types such as racism towards other religions and other ethnicities but essentially the most noted style of racism is the racism against colored people. And there are three most important factors to why racism towards colored folks occurs and they are ignorance, fear of loss and displacement and finally the people’s desire to feel superior. Starting off with the first cause which is ignorance, what continues racism is ignorance in the world.

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1992 Words | 8 Pages

Racism is an ever growing issue in the world, and something we can’t hide behind. According to dictionary.com the defintion of racism is: “the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics, abilities, or qualities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.” Race was created socially by how people perceive ideas and faces people are not used to yet. It is the “hatred” of one person to another individual, solely based on that person's belief that the person is inferior because of their language, birthplace and skin colour. Racism is an issue that has lasted throughout history, providing justification for a group’s dominance over another.

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