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Science & Technology

People with blue eyes have common ancestor

By T.K. Randall
November 12, 2011 · Comment icon 41 comments

Image Credit: sxc.hu
Scientists have been able to determine that everyone with blue eyes descended from one common ancestor.
The first blue eyes were due to a genetic mutation up to 10,000 years ago, before that everyone had brown eyes. The mutation affected the OCA2 gene which is involved in giving our eyes their pigment. "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," said Hans Eiberg of the University of Copenhagen.
A team of scientists has tracked down a genetic mutation that leads to blue eyes. The mutation occurred between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago, so before then, there were no blue eyes.


Source: MSNBC | Comments (41)

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Recent comments on this story
Comment icon #32 Posted by MeandPeggy 13 years ago
Okay, so that explains brown eyes and blue eyes. What about green, hazel, and violet?
Comment icon #33 Posted by Lilly 13 years ago
What about green, hazel, and violet? They're varients of the same mutation, eye-color genetics isn't cut and dried with just brown and blue.
Comment icon #34 Posted by MissMelsWell 13 years ago
Okay, so that explains brown eyes and blue eyes. What about green, hazel, and violet? Green and gray eyes are technically in the blue eyes category, and hazel and amber are a hue of brown. There's technically no such thing as violet eyes unless you're albino. Violet eyes, ala Liz Taylor are actually dark blue.
Comment icon #35 Posted by tronracer 13 years ago
So, my brother has blue eyes, but I have green eyes. Does that mean he is a descendant, but I am not?
Comment icon #36 Posted by Ronztrek 13 years ago
Wow! Science is just as arrogant as ever!
Comment icon #37 Posted by Lilly 13 years ago
...Violet eyes, ala Liz Taylor are actually dark blue. Exactly, some blue eyes can be a very dark shade of blue...my eyes are that color.
Comment icon #38 Posted by AnVil 13 years ago
So, my brother has blue eyes, but I have green eyes. Does that mean he is a descendant, but I am not? Probably not, blue and green are from the same mutation. (If I'm wrong feel free to correct me)
Comment icon #39 Posted by DigitalDreamer 13 years ago
Just saw this article came out on the day of my birth,I agree,Blue eyes are the greatest
Comment icon #40 Posted by Reason101 13 years ago
Blue eyes a mutation ,fine ,one single ancestor ,im not so sure .If a mutation can happen in one person it can happen in others .A sample of 800 is just not big enough to make that kind of statement ,I think it is far more probable that the mutation comes from several unrelated people rather than just one person .Even if it was 10,000 years ago ,imagine how many kids that person would have had to have ,how many would have had to survive to breed etc to account for even 20% of the population of europe having blue eyes (thats one in 5 of us) that person would have had to have the breeding capaci... [More]
Comment icon #41 Posted by Justinus 13 years ago
Hmmm is this what hitler was so up in arms about? I have Grey eyes and they suck. Always have to wear sunglasses.
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