Apart from their blue eyes, all blue-eyed people have one feature. It is the world’s second most popular eye color, with origins believed to be between 6,000 and 10,000 years ago. The widespread iris coloration appears to be the product of a genetic mutation, as all people were born with brown eyes of varied shades. There are many more intriguing facts about blue-eyed people.
For example, they are more sensitive to light; having more melanin in the iris means having more protection in the back of the eye from UV radiation and blue light damage, according to Auckland Eye. People with blue eyes have less melanin than other colors, hence photophobia (abnormal sensitivity to light) is more prevalent.While this may seem negative, there are various advantages to having blue eyes.
According to the Daily Mail, a study conducted by Louisville University professor Joanna Rowe found that people with this eye color are more likely to be good strategic thinkers. The lecturer adds, “It is simply observed rather than explained.” “There is no scientific answer yet.” Many notable persons with blue eyes have excellent minds, like Stephen Hawking, Alexander Fleming, and Marie Curie.
Most interestingly, all blue-eyed people have one thing in common, which has surprised many. Somebody writes, “I had no idea!” Fascinating…” Another joke goes, “Spoiler alert: all of their eyes are blue.” However, it turns out to be far more intriguing than that (quite obvious) reaction. Blue eyes are caused by a gene called HERC2. This gene suppresses OCA2, which creates different shades of brown eyes, and it controls the amount of brown pigment melanin generated.
Professor Hans Eiberg of the University of Copenhagen’s Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine explains: “At first, we all had brown eyes. However, a genetic mutation affecting the OCA2 gene in our chromosomes resulted in the construction of a’switch’ that literally ‘turned off’ the potential to produce brown eyes.” According to The Independent, it began when people first migrated from Africa to Europe.
According to research conducted at the University of Copenhagen, all blue-eyed people are descended from the same person.Although it is uncertain who first developed this initial mutant gene, the fact that every blue-eyed person possesses it is rather compelling evidence. According to Professor Eiberg, research on the genetic mutation of people with blue eyes “simply indicates that nature is constantly mixing the human genome, building a genetic cocktail of human chromosomes and testing out new alterations as it does so.”