Did you know that all blue-eyed individuals share a common trait beyond their striking iris color? Research reveals that blue eyes, the second most prevalent eye color globally, originated from a genetic mutation around 6,000 to 10,000 years ago. This mutation led to a reduction in melanin production, making blue-eyed people more sensitive to light.
Despite this sensitivity, blue-eyed individuals have been found to possess unique advantages. A study suggests that they tend to be better strategic thinkers, with notable examples including Stephen Hawking, Alexander Fleming, and Marie Curie.
But what’s most astonishing is that all blue-eyed people share a common genetic thread. The HERC2 gene, responsible for switching off the OCA2 gene that produces brown eyes, is present in every individual with blue eyes. This discovery implies that all blue-eyed people descended from a single ancestor, who first exhibited this genetic mutation when humans migrated from Africa to Europe.
Professor Hans Eiberg’s research at the University of Copenhagen sheds light on this phenomenon, highlighting the dynamic nature of the human genome. While the origin of this mutation remains a mystery, the fact that all blue-eyed people share this genetic trait is a compelling testament to the wonders of human genetics.
