Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Language Log » Nicholas Wade: Genes, culture, and history


There is genetic variation within the human race, part of which is geographical, though individual variation within populations is much greater than the average differences found between different parts of the world.

Much the greatest genetic variation is in fact within Africa itself.

The human race as a whole shows remarkably little genetic variation compared with other primates, probably reflecting several episodes of severe reduction in our total numbers in the past.

We have in general little idea of how (or even whether) known genetic variations affect actual human physical structure, let alone behaviour; when we do know anything, it is usually because we have connected genetic differences with pathological states rather than variations in normality.

We are mostly just beginning to work out how known genetic abnormalities actually result in the diseases they are associated with.

---Steve

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