Regina Ivie
30122
2/1/2008
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,327070,00.html

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All Blue-Eyed People Are Related

Danish researchers have found that all blue-eyed people share a 
common ancestor, probably someone who lived 6,000 to 10,000 years 
ago on the Northern end of the Black Sea. 

The research showed that there was a genetic mutation formed that
created a "switch" to turn off the ability to produce brown eyes.
This switch sits next to the gene that determines the pigmentation
of our eyes, hair and skin, hence only has a limiting effect on
it. If the mutation had completely switched off this gene, all 
blue-eyed people would also be albinos.
 
The study also pointed out that the original person that got the
mutation would not have had blue eyes. Neither would the kids of that 
man or woman, it would have first shown up in the grandchildren or 
the great-grandchildren who hooked up. Blue eyes are a recessive trait
that you have to have received from both parents.

The article was also kind enough to point out that at that cousins 
marrying has been the norm through most of human history. I believe
that sentence was the basis for an article that came later from the
same website. Couples Who Are Third or Fourth Cousins Have More Kids,
Grandkids Than Other Couples 

I have often wondered why we don't all have brown eyes. Especially
since we are all supposedly related to Eve, an African woman, who
would have had brown eyes. I got my answer when I found this article.

This article was scientifically based, but mostly for fun. When FOX
news reported it a few days later on its TV station, they said to
remember all blue-eyed people could now call Frank Sinatra their relative.
So next time I see one of his movies, I can wave and say, "Hi, cousin."

My eyes and ears really perk up whenever I hear a story about genetics or
anthropology. It may not seem so significant in cute little stories that
come out like this one, but when you put all the research going on together, 
genetic scientists are getting closer and closer to being able to find the
genes that may be the indicators for some diseases that could be prevented for
future generations with further study.

"Scientist: All Blue-Eyed People are Related - Science News." FOXNews.Com.
1 Feb. 2008. 1 Feb. 2008 <http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,327070,00.html>. 
			

Word Count

415 Words
1933 Characters (w/o spaces)
2331 Characters (with spaces)
41 paragraphs
73 sentences
@ 2 pages
1.78 average sentences per paragraph
5.68 average words per sentence
4.66 average characters per word
207.50 average words per page
Flesch Reading Ease: 84.66
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level: 3.00
Automated Readability Index: 3.00