Submission + - New Diet, Sexual Attraction May Have Spurred Europeans' Lighter Skin (sciencemag.org)
sciencehabit writes: Why do some humans have lighter skin than others? Researchers have longed chalked up the difference to tens of thousands of years of evolution, with darker skin protecting those who live nearer to the equator from the sun’s intense radiation. But a new study of ancient DNA concludes that European skin color has continued to change over the past 5000 years, suggesting that additional factors, including diet and sexual attraction, may also be at play. In particular, when blue eyes and blonde hair first arose, they may have been considered so unique--and desirable--that anyone who had them had a sexual advantage.