Researchers from The University of Copenhagen made a fascinating discovery concerning the origin of blue eyes.
They found evidence of a genetic mutation that occurred in one individual around 6,000 to 10,000 years ago, most likely in Europe.
Read more: People are only just realizing why humans don’t have black eyes
Also, a study showed that this person passed down the mutation to their descendants, who, in turn, transmitted it to successive generations. As a result, every person with blue eyes today can be traced back to that one ancestor.
One of the authors of the study, Professor Hans Eiber from the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, stated: “Originally, we all had brown eyes“But 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.”
According to the report, the gene OCA2, which plays a role in determining eye color, also affects whether individuals are born with albinism. When OCA2 is destroyed or turned off, people are unable to produce melanin from birth.
According to The Independent, the origin of blue eyes is thought to date back to the migration of humans from Africa to Europe.
However, the researchers also showed that all people with blue eyes can be traced back to a single ancestor, although the identity of the first person to carry this genetic mutation remains a mystery.
In fact, the prevalence of the mutation among all blue-eyed people presents strong evidence of a common ancestral origin.
Professor Eiberg says in the report that the research into the genetic mutation of people with blue eyes.
In the report, Professor Eiberg said that the genetic mutation was found in individuals with blue eyes. “it simply shows that nature is constantly shuffling the human genome, creating a genetic cocktail of human chromosomes and trying out different changes as it does so,” says Eiber.
Although it's classified as a 'mutation,' as revealed by the study, it is positive.
The genetic variation does not impact a person's chances of survival, making it comparable to other mutations like freckles or detached earlobes, which have no real advantage or disadvantage to having them.
If you have blue eyes, you could be distantly related to Queen Elizabeth! Notably, numerous celebrities with blue eyes possess exceptional intellects, including luminaries like Stephen Hawking, Alexander Fleming, and Marie Curie.
