• Question: why are black people black

    Asked by ixabdulxi to Andrew, Ben, Beth, Heather, Louisa on 17 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Andrew McKinley

      Andrew McKinley answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      Black people have much more melanin in their skin to absorb the sun’s harmful rays. We get a tan when we go abroad as our body manufactures some melanin to counteract the UV from the sun.

    • Photo: Ben Still

      Ben Still answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      Better to ask why are white people white! White people evolved from african ancestors. The dark pigment in the skin was to protect the skin from UV but let enough through to produce vitamin D which is essential for life.

      See the answers to “why are white people white”

    • Photo: Louisa Chard

      Louisa Chard answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      Same as the answer to your other question, why are white people white:

      Skin colour is determined by the production of a protein called melanin. The more melanin produced by your cells, the darker the skin colour. How much is produced is determined by your genes and this is in turn determined by where you ancestors are from. Darker skins produce more melanin to protect the skin from sunlight, so those with ancestors from very sunny climates would have darker skin. Those whose ancestors moved to less sunny climates would have lighter skin as their ancestors didn’t need as much melanin so evolved to produce less.

    • Photo: Heather McKee

      Heather McKee answered on 16 Jun 2010:

      the colour of peoples skin is determined by a pigment that gives colour known as melanin, which darkens the skin. Originally(250,000 years ago to be exact!) we were all covered in very dark body hair which then evolved into dark skin-due to the climate back then those with lighter skin would die due to the intensity of the sun. As humans migrated away from the more intensive sun soaked areas (e.g equator) to cooler climes (e.g northern regions) they evolved to no longer need protection from the intense heat and therefore their skin became lighter over time. The cooler the climate the more likely the individual would have less melanin (skin pigment), hence why europeans tend to have lighter coloured skin than those from south america or africa.

    • Photo: Beth Dyson

      Beth Dyson answered on 17 Jun 2010:

      See the question on why white people are white!!

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