Redheads Extinct by 2100!?

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darthbob88
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Post by darthbob88 »

Oni Koneko Damien wrote:Wait a minute...

...taking the logic presented by this article to its...well...logical conclusion.

*Any* gene that is recessive will become diluted and eventually disappear from the species' phenotype.

...or maybe they don't understand that 'dilution' doesn't actually mean the genes are spread thinner, but rather that there are more of them throughout a larger population, thus making it *more* likely that eventually, more heterozygous couples will produce homozygous recessive offspring.

Fucking hell, a first year biology student can see how full of holes their logic is.
Who cares about the logic? Clearly, we must commence mass breeding of redheads, that the phenotype not die out. I shall valiantly volunteer to participate, even though I am not a redhead. :P
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Darth Servo
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Post by Darth Servo »

darthbob88 wrote:Who cares about the logic? Clearly, we must commence mass breeding of redheads, that the phenotype not die out. I shall valiantly volunteer to participate, even though I am not a redhead. :P
Kinda defeats the purpose now, doesn't it?
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darthbob88
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Post by darthbob88 »

Darth Servo wrote:
darthbob88 wrote:Who cares about the logic? Clearly, we must commence mass breeding of redheads, that the phenotype not die out. I shall valiantly volunteer to participate, even though I am not a redhead. :P
Kinda defeats the purpose now, doesn't it?
Undeniably so. Hence the :P smiley.
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Braedley
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Post by Braedley »

Oni Koneko Damien wrote:Wait a minute...

...taking the logic presented by this article to its...well...logical conclusion.

*Any* gene that is recessive will become diluted and eventually disappear from the species' phenotype.

...or maybe they don't understand that 'dilution' doesn't actually mean the genes are spread thinner, but rather that there are more of them throughout a larger population, thus making it *more* likely that eventually, more heterozygous couples will produce homozygous recessive offspring.

Fucking hell, a first year biology student can see how full of holes their logic is.
Actually, not true. If a recessive gene is expressed (ie homozygous) in more than 50% of the population, then chances are good that the majority of the remainder of the population will be heterozygous. However, since redheads already make up such a small portion of the population, it's difficult to maintain that population, let along get it to grow.
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Lisa
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Post by Lisa »

As i understand genetics and it's been a while since bio in high school and most of what I understand is from breeding corn snakes when the gene is recessive it doesn't nesesarily get passed on, infact when it's recessive on one side and not even there on the other side it's not likely to be passed on and the kids are possible carriers.

Being strawberry brown/blonde, blue eyed with freckles i don't tan much.

my dad's hair is black, my mom's hair is brown, my sister's is blonde. I forget my dad's eye colour but my mom and sister havc green.

I know my dad's family carries the trait as my aunt and grandmother have red red hair like a gingerkid. My mom's family all look like gauls (being french this is no surprise) so who knows where in the family line that gene came form, I have gaulish features with celtic skin and hair tones.
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