Why are the blacks dark skinned and why are whites light skinned?

1. 51

   JohnBrainiacposted 7 years ago

   Why are the blacks dark skinned and why are whites light skinned?
   
   I've been wondering; why are the whites like the Asians and Americans really light skinned, typically white.. But then the Africans, very usually dark skinned? Is it something about there skin or is just about there environment - you know hotter temperature and what have you.   ??
   
   

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2. 91

   lisavollrathposted 7 years ago

   Skin color is due to the presence of melanin. Generally, people with ancestors from places with little sun, like northern Europe, carry genes to produce a lighter form of melanin. People with ancestors from places with lots of sun, like Africa, carry genes for a darker form.

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3. 59

   Zelkiiroposted 7 years ago

   People who stuck around sun-baked areas near the Equator developed more melanin in their skin, which protects them from excessive ultraviolet radiation as well as excessive Vitamin D absorption (too much is too much, after all). And the result was that the increased melanin levels cause a darker skin tone, because melanin carries with it a brown pigment. And of course, the darker the skin, the more melanin there is in the tissue.
   
   Whereas people who decided the Equator was too wack (Europeans and Asians, mainly) moved further north where the sun was less harsh, and their bodies produced less melanin. The results are the opposite: Less sunlight to worry about up north so a lower amount of melanin still protects them from UV rays and allows the right amount of Vitamin D absorption to happen, but less brown pigmentation in the skin creates that yellow-ish or peach-colored complexion Europeans and Asians hold so dear.
   
   So if someone has darker skin, their ancestors were badasses who toughed it out in the blistering sun, and if someone has lighter skin, their ancestors ran for the sweet, sweet hills and never looked back.

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   1. 51

      JohnBrainiacposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      Hahaha, you make it look so interesting.
      
      Thanks!

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4. 86

   Terrielynn1posted 7 years ago

   Our skin colour is actually in our genetics. The melanin produced by your body and shows in the skin tone, starts at a cellular level. But the amount you you produce can vary according to the climate where you live. I have a dark coloured friend who living in the north has gotten slightly lighter, and I have friend from turkey who has an olive skin tone that has also changed living in Canada. If you believe in the history of the bible then you will also find that a variety of skin tones already exsisted and changed as people traveled and moved to other climates. Isn't DNA wonderful.

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   1. 51

      JohnBrainiacposted 7 years agoin reply to this

      It is good lady. .. .thanks for your wonderful answer.

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