Breaking News

Study reveals health of Travellers 02/09/10
Nurses pulls out of HSE talks 02/09/10
Cavan man named as one of NYC's ‘worst landlords' 02/09/10
Stricter rules for learner drivers 02/09/10
Funeral today of murdered schoolgirl 02/09/10
Criminal Traynor arrested near Amsterdam 02/09/10

Redheads 'are neanderthal'

Scientists have declared that people with red hair could be the true genetic legacy of Neanderthals, primeval human beings. By Shelley Marsden - 29/10/07

The “ginger gene”, the one that gives people red hair, freckles and fair skin, say researchers at the John Radcliffe Institute of Molecular Medicine in Oxford could be up to 100,000 years old.

The researchers say the discovery indicates the gene having originated in Neanderthal man who lived in Europe for 200,000 years before Homo sapien settlers, who are the ancestors of modern man, came about 40,000 years ago from Africa.

Team leader Rosalind Harding said: “The gene is certainly older than 50,000 years and it could be as old as 100,000 years. “An explanation is that it comes from Neanderthals.”

At least 10% of Scottish people have red hair, and up to 40% carry the gene responsible for red hair. This could account for the image of Scots as great fighters.

Neanderthals were migrant hunters and cannibals that probably ate the majority of their meat raw. They were taller and heavier built than Homo sapiens, but had shorter arms and legs, bigger faces and noses, receding chins and low foreheads.

Researchers say that the two species must have interbred in order for the “ginger gene” to survive. Neanderthals became extinct around 28,000 years ago, the last remnants of the species being in southern Spain and southwest France.

Only 1 % to 2% of the world population has red hair. But in Celtic countries the percentage is much higher. First is Scotland, but Ireland has the second highest number of redheads worldwide – up to 10% of the Irish population have ginger, auburn or strawberry blond hair