Expert: Ralph Salier - 11/28/2007

Question
Are all genetic differences between ethnic groups in the world a result of environment? For example would darker people in northern lattitudes really die young and not reproduce or people in desert areas die from having rounder eyes.  Explain.

Answer
Hi Mike,

The genetic differences between races does NOT exist per say. Different races arose due to variations in environmental conditions over thousands of years and relative isolation of those small groups of humans.  These environmental adaptations such as dark skin or light colored eyes have very specific values in specific environments but these adaptations does not mean that in an alternate environment these would be detrimental.  Over time however, these environmental adaptations were also cultural in nature as well where peoples of like "type" tended to hang together and see themselves as part of a group different from others who looked different.

Today, people of the negroid "type" live and prosper in northern environs just as whites live well in Africa etc...