Cavemen preferred blondes

[Al-khiyal]

Cavegirls were first blondes to have fun

[pandora]

I am a bit sceptical. Having read the article and linking it to some of my knowledge on natural and sexual selection (Richard Dawkins being one of the most famous supporters of the latter theory), I believe that the blond hair is a result of a mutation during food shortage that correlated with survival. MC receptors have been linked to appetite regulation. It could be that these blond women carried a mutation that allowed them to survive long periods of hunger unlike the dark-haired women. As a result, these women were attractive as potential mating partner, if you are blond and fit to survive, that is a very attractive trait to have…

[Mourad_A]

People with dark skin (which correlates with dark eyes) have difficulty sythesising Vitamin D (an essential nutrient for bone strength) from low sunlight levels. Dark skinned people need strong sunlight on their skin to synthesise this essential nutrient or they develop rickets (badly bowed legs), and weak bones that break easily.

In northern Europe the sunlight is poor in the non-summer months and not strong even in the summer, compared to Africa. In the doctor's surgeries there are notices in several languages instructing dark skinned people to take extra vitamin D supplements.

I think natural selection played a big part.

1) The dark ones either did not survive into healthy adulthood and had weak, bandy legs and broken bones, so were not chosen as often to breed; and

2) The lighter skinned women were much stronger and healthier (strong bones) so were chosen much more often, and survived the nutritional demands of pregnancy more often, in the poor sunlight conditions.

Obviously the reverse is true. The fair skinned ones suffered and burned very quickly in hot climates such as Africa, India and the Caribbean, during the days of colonialism.

People generally prefer to choose a healthy partner who is most suited for the local conditions, even today.

[Al-khiyal]

Japan's blondes vanish as women turn to dark side

Blonde facts and blonde history

[snow_white]

all what I know about blonds which is a fact is that they are thick heads... may be tif would enlighten us with more

[sania]

Or may be in the faint light inside the cave,
our caveman could see a blonde than a brunette!

BTW, Mourad, have you read about "black body radiation" in your school science?

A black body radiates heat better than a grey/white body.
That is why coffee cools off faster than milk,
under tha same conditions.

In hot regions,people have to radiate more to keep the body cool.
Hence they have dark skin, which radiates heat faster.

In frigid climate areas, people have to conserve their body heat,
in order to maintain their body warmth.
Hence they have white skin which is a poor radiator of body heat!

[snow_white]

sania, don't start bringing on all the aspects of having a fair skin, burning in sun is another one though

I would think the cave men did notice the white eyes and teeth of brunettes/black in the dark and got scared away