One European, who survived between 6,000 to 10,000 years ago, is ancestor of all blue-eyed people: Study
WeirdNews
Blue eyes are possessed by only 8 to 10 per cent of the population
(Web Desk) - In a new study, the scientists have claimed that all blue-eyed people are descendants of one European who was living between 6,000 to 10,000 years ago.
Originally, humans had only brown eyes in various shades till a specific mutation led to a significant change.
According to the scientists, the mutation is a gene known as HERC2 and it switches off OCA2, which is the gene which helps in determining how much brown pigment we produce.
This is the reason why our eyes turn blue.
The scientists then found out that every blue-eyed person has descended from the same person because all of them have the same mutation.
According to scientists, blue eyes are possessed by only 8 to 10 per cent of the population.
They added that sometimes eyes fail to fully develop in childhood which means that the brown pigment can come later and make blue-eyed children turn into brown eyes adults.
The team, which consists of a group from the University of Copenhagen, was able to discover a genetic mutation which happened 6,000 to 10,000 years ago.
The research was carried out by a team at the University of Copenhagen.
Professor Hans Eiberg from the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, who led the study, said, "Originally, we all had brown eyes. But a genetic mutation affecting the OCA2 gene in our chromosomes resulted in the creation of a ‘switch,’ which literally "turned off" the ability to produce brown eyes."
The P protein is involved in the production of melanin and it contains the OCA2 gene codes which have the pigment which determines the colour of hair, eyes, and skin.
The pigment does not create a blue colour but turns off the mechanism through which brown melanin pigment is produced and effectively "dilutes" brown eyes to blue.
