Monday, May 23, 2005

more on eye color

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_color

essentially, by saying that people with blue eyes have underdeveloped (and therefor somehow defective) eyes, is about as intelligent as saying that white people are underdeveloped and therefor defective because we don't have as much melanin in our skin as black people.

if we further dally down this road of thought, we can come to the INFORMED conclusions that blue eyes and light skin are both the result of evolutionary adaptation to climates with less direct sunlight, and therefor less need for high levels of melanin in the skin. this allows for more absorption of Vitamin D from sunlight, whereas people with high levels of melanin can suffer from Vitamin D deficiency more easily.

both are simply the result of human evolution and are examples of humans adapting to their environments.

wow. getting the facts is really hard. *cough*

(there is a bit more to it, but that's the basics. spend a little time on wikipedia, it will do you good.)

4 comments:

Josh said...

I never knew that. One small tidbit though. I've got blue eyes, and I tan like a motherfucker. I've got lots of melanin (or is it melatonin that causes people to tan?) Maybe I got the worst of both worlds? Underdeveloped weak eyes and a Vitamin D deficency?

JStressman said...

I have an olive complexion (I get very tan when I do go outside), but light blue eyes.

the thing is, I almost never go out in the sun. so luckily, I'm both generally more tan than most people even when I'm very pale for me... and avoid a lot of the possible sun damage my melanin deprived eyes might get. :)

I think you'd have to be rather naturally dark skinned before you'd need to worry about Vitamin D deficiency. and if you're that worried, just eat your Wheaties with Vit D milk. ;)

Josh said...

How can you NOT go outside in the sun? I can't stand staying indoors. Working 8 hours a day in a windowless building makes me want to slit my wrists and tip my desk over on top of myself. Hell, I still have remains from my ubertan from last year. I can't fucking wait for all of the allergy causing elements to die down so I can go outside without choking on the snot that starts flowing the instant I take a breath of the 'outside' air. Blah.

JStressman said...

hahaha

well, I live on a golf course, in the city essentially. on the second floor. so I really don't have a yard to go hang out in. I don't play golf. and I don't feel like playing in traffic.

all more reasons why I'm moving back to the other side of the state where I can rememedy those things.

AND GET A TAN. :D