What is the evolution of skin color?

Pigmentation, (skin color), in humans has evolved under selection pressure from the duration and intensity of sunlight. Ancestral populations near the equator were selected for dark skin, while those living in higher northern latitudes were selected for lighter skin.

What human activities cause skin pigmentation?

UV RADIATION AND THE EVOLUTION OF TANNING Constitutive pigmentation is modified by tanning to produce facultative pigmentation. Tanning is an adaptation to seasonally high UVR, especially UVB, levels.

What is human skin pigmentation?

Human skin pigmentation is the product of two clines produced by natural selection to adjust levels of constitutive pigmentation to levels of UV radiation (UVR). As hominins dispersed outside of the tropics, they experienced different intensities and seasonal mixtures of UVA and UVB.

What are the skin complexion types?

Types of skin complexions

• Type 1 – Extremely fair skin.
• Type 2 – Fair skin.
• Type 3 – Medium skin.
• Type 4 – Olive skin.
• Type 5 – Brown skin.
• Type 6 – Black skin.

What was the first skin color of humans?

Dark skin. All modern humans share a common ancestor who lived around 200,000 years ago in Africa. Comparisons between known skin pigmentation genes in chimpanzees and modern Africans show that dark skin evolved along with the loss of body hair about 1.2 million years ago and that this common ancestor had dark skin.

What determines human skin color?

Human skin color reflects an evolutionary balancing act tens of thousands of years in the making. There’s a convincing explanation for why human skin tone varies as a global gradient, with the darkest populations around the equator and the lightest ones near the poles.

What skin color was the first human?

dark skin
The results of Cheddar Man’s genome analysis align with recent research that has uncovered the convoluted nature of the evolution of human skin tone. The first humans to leave Africa 40,000 years ago are believed to have had dark skin, which would have been advantageous in sunny climates.

What is the most popular skin color?

brown
The variety of human skin colours is immense, but we have very few words to describe that range of colour in detail. For that reason, I would have to say the most common skin colour is brown.

How do I know my complexion?

In natural light, check the appearance of your veins beneath your skin.

1. If your veins appear blue or purple, you have a cool skin tone.
2. If your veins look green or a greenish blue, you have a warm skin tone.
3. If you can’t tell whether or not your veins are green or blue, you probably have a neutral skin tone.

Why do people vary in their skin color?

Here we present new evidence indicating that variations in skin color are adaptive, and are related to the regulation of ultraviolet (UV) radiation penetration in the integument and it … Skin color is one of the most conspicuous ways in which humans vary and has been widely used to define human races.

What makes up the spectrum of human skin color?

Extended Coloured family from South Africa showing some spectrum of human skin coloration. Human skin color ranges in variety from the darkest brown to the lightest hues. An individual’s skin pigmentation is the result of genetics, being the product of both of the individual’s biological parents’ genetic makeup, and exposure to sun.

Is the evolution of human skin color adaptive?

The evolution of human skin coloration Skin color is one of the most conspicuous ways in which humans vary and has been widely used to define human races. Here we present new evidence indicating that variations in skin color are adaptive, and are related to the regulation of ultraviolet (UV) radiation penetration in the integument and it …

How to describe skin color and skin tone?

How to Describe Skin Color and Skin Tone 1 Fitzpatrick Scale. Most dermatologists use the Fitzpatrick scale to classify human skin color. 2 Complex Colors. If you want to use rare words that accurately represent skin colors, try using complex colors. 3 Descriptive Words. 4 Medical Terms.