Timeline for Are red-heads going extinct?
Current License: CC BY-SA 3.0
12 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| May 3, 2016 at 16:39 | comment | added | Harris | @Tor-EinarJarnbjo Accidentally removed link to article- here it is | |
| May 3, 2016 at 16:24 | comment | added | Harris | @Tor-EinarJarnbjo While I think you're somewhat asking me to prove a negative, I was able to find this paper on Springer saying that while general preferences for or against red hair isn't non-existent, it is generally limited. Past that, I think it's safe to say (barring positive evidence) nothing is actively killing red-hair carriers significantly more than anyone else. | |
| May 3, 2016 at 15:07 | comment | added | Tor-Einar Jarnbjo | @HarrisWeinstein Do you have any backup for your claim that 'nothing is selecting against red-haired people/carriers'? I am not saying that there necessarily is, but I find it highly likely that social or cultural preference could easily cause a skew for/against a visually obvious trait, even if there is no direct biological reason. | |
| May 2, 2016 at 22:59 | comment | added | Sklivvz | I agree with @fredsbend, this answer gives a nice introduction to the genetics around this question, but doesn't answer it. If redheads marry with non-redheads, then their offspring will unlikely be red headed. However, do they? I thought this was the whole point of the question -- not "is the red head gene recessive?" but "is this recessive gene disappearing?" | |
| May 2, 2016 at 20:58 | comment | added | Harris | @fredsbend Under the premise that the existence of the allele is not decreasing in numbers (nothing is selecting against red-haired people/carriers), it is not, as a trait, going extinct. We may by chance see less red-heads if they have more kids with people who have dominating alleles, but they will still be present and can pop up. Hypothetically, the allele (expressed or unexpressed) could be growing in the overall population, and we could see an increase of them later when they're more populous in a broader group. | |
| May 2, 2016 at 20:55 | comment | added | Ethan | I don't think a predictive answer is possible. Data on breeding habits of high red-haired populations is likely difficult to find, if not impossible. The answer does provide a plausible mechanism for how it could happen, and demonstrates that the current social situation seems to provide opportunity for that mechanism. | |
| May 2, 2016 at 18:56 | comment | added | user11643 | You explain very well how their numbers might be changing. The question is if they actually are. Will there be less red heads in the future? | |
| May 2, 2016 at 14:26 | comment | added | wizzwizz4 | I was planning to self-answer this question, but seeing this I'm glad I didn't: +1 for the sheer effort. | |
| May 2, 2016 at 10:42 | history | edited | Golden Cuy | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| May 2, 2016 at 10:29 | history | edited | Golden Cuy | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
added 391 characters in body
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| May 2, 2016 at 10:21 | history | edited | Golden Cuy | CC BY-SA 3.0 |
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| May 2, 2016 at 10:15 | history | answered | Golden Cuy | CC BY-SA 3.0 |