Are You Ginger? - Here's Why...

A recent discovery suggests that red heads have only been around for 20,000 years and their very existence is due to the weather. It's interesting stuff, so I thought I'd pass it on.

Source: Times Online.

Ever since Tacitus, the Roman historian, noted with awe the flame-headed natives of Caledonia, observers have wondered at the prevalence of ginger hair among the Scots. Now a genetics research student has stumbled on an explanation based on another remarkable feature of Scottish life — the weather.

Times Online



[edit on 19/3/10 by Insomniac]

Haha I love it! I myself am a ginger and this information is very intriguing! I like to live the oxymoron lifestyle - I am a redhead and I go hunting with my family. Breaking history since the 1980s! I think it's interesting how both parents need to have a piece of the puzzle to conceive a fiery child.

That link sent me into a site that hijacked my browser and would not let me out of some scam sales site.

reply to post by defcon5


Really? I just tested the link and it works fine. Sorry you're having problems.
2nd line.

[edit on 19/3/10 by Insomniac]

Originally posted by Myollinir
I myself am a ginger

KILL IT WITH FIRE!!!!!

Just about the worst explanation ever.

There are red heads in other groups - including blacks.

MC1R variation has been around for a long time, and in more than one primate and more than one hominid.

en.wikipedia.org...

(wrong thread!)

[edit on 2010/3/19 by Aeons]

reply to post by Aeons


According to the wiki link you posted red hair amongst Sub Saharan Africans is due to albinism.

One variety of albinism (Type 3, aka rufous albinism), sometimes seen in Africans and inhabitants of New Guinea, results in red hair and red-coloured skin.

This would imply that people of African origin with red hair in other parts of the world could well be due to inter breeding with people of Northern European origin.

[edit on 19/3/10 by Insomniac]

This article gave a pretty poor explanation.

What they failed to point out is that humans need the sun to synthesise vitamin D. Darker skin is adapted to hot, sunny climates where there is too much sunlight so vitamin D production isn't a problem but the skin needs to be protected against excessive U.V.. This is done by high levels of melanin. When darker skinned people move to climates with very little sunlight, their bodies can't produce enough vitamin D. Fairer skin absorbs sunlight much better so fairer skinned people are able to produce vitamin D with very little sun. Of course, fairer skinned people don't have the protection against high levels of U.V. as they have almost no melanin.

Oh, by the way, melanin also plays a part in hair colour. Without melanin, I believe many people with dark hair would have reddish hair.

[edit on 19-3-2010 by OZtracized]

reply to post by OZtracized


You're quite right in what you say, but red hair isn't a prerequiste of fair skin. Many people with fair skin are blond or have dark brown hair.

reply to post by Insomniac


Very true. It's not a prerequisite but how many tanned redheads do you know?!

By the way, I was not in any way having a go at you, I just felt the article could have explained it a bit better. Flag for you for raising awareness of this affliction!

reply to post by OZtracized



I didn't think you were having a go - sorry if I gave that impression. I agree the article is a little sketchy, but it's still thought provoking - particularly the bit about red heads only being around for 20,000 years. How many tanned redheads do I know? None... But I've met a lot of sunburnt ones!

I am not missing an oportunity to post this.
No I'm not. She was a honey.

reply to post by randyvs


Thank you for this very valuable contribution! A star for you!!!

reply to post by Insomniac


You didn't give that impression I was just making sure.

By the way, I'm a tanned redhead......... well tanned for a redhead anyways!

O.K., I'm a shade above porceline.

I read that it comes from inbreeding.Hence a lot of red hair in royal families.Im a redhead by the way.

Imo whole theory is stupid. 20,000 years for a recessive trait to develop from black hair, with almost no selection pressure.

Makes no sense if you know the basics of genetics.

Is just pop-theory aimed at the leyman.

What !!! ...... "Utter twaddle"

What has the rain got to do with having red hair .....

If this was the case then I do believe that there would be a swarm of red headed people living in Manchester U.K ....


And no... our hair does not go rusty in the rain

The lack of dark skin in redheads is likely more environmental than it is a true connection. The genetics for red hair proliferated in a bottleneck that just happened to be in an area that also favoured pale skin due to lower levels of sunlight. Therefore, the likely link is just shared ancestry, not an actual genetic link. There could be a genetic link, of course, but without proof of this...go with the most logical explanation.

I aloways know i was special.
ps burned like the dickens when i was younger but now am very very tan.
pss in order for a red head to get this tan we have to burn like hades its self for a wile
O and the 2012 this being the end of the world well i translated the @#!#^*^ to mean in the end days there will be two read heads who become one >
meaning they get marryd .and as one destrouction behond hades its self will be unleashed upon the world.
so pp everyone be sure to not get two redhead toghter as the fire of there tempers will surly be your doommmmmmm

[edit on 19-3-2010 by xxcalbier]