Why the African genome project is so useful
To map the ascent of man, begin at the beginning
RACISM MAY often run deep, but one of the most depressing things about it is how superficial it really is. In most parts of the world it is literally a matter of black and white. A person’s skin colour, however, has little biological significance. It is merely a balance between defending the lower layers of the dermis from cancer-causing ultraviolet light (which favours dark skin) and promoting the beneficial role of ultraviolet in the synthesis of vitamin D (which favours light skin). The farther someone’s ancestors lived from the equator, the paler their skin evolved to be.
This article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “Know thyself”
Leaders June 26th 2021
From the June 26th 2021 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from Leaders
Tariffs will harm America, not induce a manufacturing rebirth
Donald Trump’s pursuit of tariffs will make the world poorer—and America, too
How to improve clinical trials
Involving more participants can lead to new medical insights
Houthi Inc: the pirates who weaponised globalisation
Their Red Sea protection racket is a disturbing glimpse into an anarchic world
Donald Trump will upend 80 years of American foreign policy
A superpower’s approach to the world is about to be turned on its head
Rising bond yields should spur governments to go for growth
The bond sell-off may partly reflect America’s productivity boom
Much of the damage from the LA fires could have been averted
The lesson of the tragedy is that better incentives will keep people safe