The Biology of Skin Color
Author(s): HHMI BioInteractive
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Description
Our human ancestors in Africa likely had dark skin, which is produced by an abundance of the pigment eumelanin in skin cells. In the high ultraviolet (UV) environment of sub-Saharan (or equatorial) Africa, darker skin protects against the damaging effects of UV radiation. Anthropologist Dr. Nina Jablonski explains that the variation in skin color that evolved since our human ancestors migrated out of Africa can be explained by the trade-off between protection from UV and the need for some UV absorption for the production of vitamin D.
The “Abbreviated Film Guide” provides a short summary of the film, along with key concepts and connections to curriculum standards.
Cite this work
Researchers should cite this work as follows:
- HHMI BioInteractive (2019). The Biology of Skin Color. HHMI BioInteractive, QUBES Educational Resources. doi:10.25334/94C4-AY97