tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post442918471166850136..comments2024-01-04T04:11:55.717+02:00Comments on Dienekes’ Anthropology Blog: Facial anthropometry of northern IranDienekeshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02082684850093948970noreply@blogger.comBlogger55125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-69164249661386341952008-12-16T05:36:00.000+02:002008-12-16T05:36:00.000+02:00One field of science that is very concerned about ...One field of science that is very concerned about the clarity of atmosphere is astronomists, btw. Yet, while there are some major telescopes in the southern hemisphere (notably the VLT, in the exceptionaly clean air of Atacama desert), some of the most important ones, which have looked for extremely good sighting conditions too are in the northern hemisphere (Hawaii, Canary Islands, etc.) Of course, you may want a nice rather sunny climate for that but you can find such optimal conditions north of the Equator too.<BR/><BR/>In fact I cannot really believe we are having this discussion at all. Let's make like it did not happen, ok?Majuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12369840391933337204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-31911653427590802752008-12-16T05:32:00.000+02:002008-12-16T05:32:00.000+02:00... but I can't remember ever being able to see hi...<I>... but I can't remember ever being able to see hills that far away anywhere in Europe.</I><BR/><BR/>I can assure you that you can here see as far as the horizon, as anywhere else on Earth, as long the geography allows. <BR/><BR/><I>The pattern of air ciculation means the atmosphere of the two hemispheres is quite surprisingly independent. </I><BR/><BR/>Well, the ashes from Krakatoa and Sumbava reached Europe and North America. But guess they were too close to the Equator to count, right?<BR/><BR/>Anyhow, I seriously think you are suffering from some sort of subjective "hallucination" based in very imperfect patchy data. As said before, you can perfectly see the horizon any day at the coast if the weather is not too bad, so your claim is simply wrong. And you can see the Sun and the Moon and miriads of stars if luminic pollution allows. The sky can be as clear as you can imagine, believe me.<BR/><BR/><I>Do you really believe "The climate here has been about the same since the Epipaleolithic"? </I><BR/><BR/>Since the late Epipaleolithic yes. There were some post-glacial flucuations in the early phase. Of course there are minor temporary changes like the "little ice age" or "the year without summer" and certainly I am concerned about the effects of global warming but they still are not too apparent (just some less <I>xirimiri</I>, very thin rain in other times sooo typical, and more tropical-like pouring - maybe less likehood of snow but not this winter which seems quite cold so far).Majuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12369840391933337204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-79335254967440507912008-12-16T03:27:00.000+02:002008-12-16T03:27:00.000+02:00"Whatever the case I'm not talking 'haze' here but..."Whatever the case I'm not talking 'haze' here but clouds". <BR/><BR/>But I'm talking about haze, not clouds. The other morning I drove into town and the hills 30 kms away, at the northern head of the harbour, had a very slight haze about them. We'd just had a bit of rain and there is an oil refinery just across the harbour from them, but I can't remember ever being able to see hills that far away anywhere in Europe. <BR/><BR/>"so the clouds don't get stuck against the mountains and hills". <BR/><BR/>The Southern Alps, admittedly a long way from here but the clarity of the atmosphere is much the same, are much higher than the Pyrenees and lie across the prevailing wind, rather than along it. Mountains do not account for the difference. <BR/><BR/>"I see no reason why those supposed industrial particles would not reach the southern hemisphere, honestly". <BR/><BR/>The pattern of air ciculation means the atmosphere of the two hemispheres is quite surprisingly independent. <BR/><BR/>The locals in Taranaki have a similar saying to yours about the clouds. "When you can't see the mountain, it's raining. When you see it, it's going to rain". Sound familiar? Do you really believe "The climate here has been about the same since the Epipaleolithic"?terrythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17327062321100035888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-29033265571569775422008-12-14T13:20:00.000+02:002008-12-14T13:20:00.000+02:00The climate here has been about the same since the...The climate here has been about the same since the Epipaleolithic, sorry. <BR/><BR/>The differences you (very anecdotically notice) are probably due to New Zealand being an island, so the clouds don't get stuck against the mountains and hills. I'm sure a metereologist can answer your doubts better. Here it rains nearly every day in all the winter period (i.e. from October to April or May) and most of the time the clouds stay between rain and rain - what is like some 30 minutes maybe? The problem is not just rain (that's normal) but very heavy very persistent rain, which may cause flooding. <BR/><BR/>When it's cloudy and not raining (nor sparkling or snowing or pouring hail...) it means it will most likely rain anyhow in the next hours. When it's sunny and there is not a front coming from the sea, then it means that, for a change, there is no rain coming. <BR/><BR/><I>The most noticable thing about the northern hemisphere as you fly over it at altitude is that the earth seems to be wearing a grey cap. </I><BR/><BR/>I see no reason why those supposed industrial particles would not reach the southern hemisphere, honestly. Most likely the dominance of the ocean in your half of the world makes clouds not to get stuck so easily. <BR/><BR/>Whatever the case I'm not talking "haze" here but clouds: typical regular atmospheric clouds that bring rain or equivalent. They are pretty much persistent, believe me. I don't think I've seen the sun in a month or two.Majuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12369840391933337204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-47255300786424959992008-12-14T10:20:00.000+02:002008-12-14T10:20:00.000+02:00I've just checked average annual rainfall for New ...I've just checked average annual rainfall for New Zealand, Bilbao, Dublin and Galway. All between 1000-1700mm, much the same. So clouds here also "come mostly from the Ocean and, believe me, they are full of water, that more often than not pours down upon arrival". And yet when it stops raining we have have clearer blue skies than Ireland or most of Spain (not familiar with the northwest of Spain). <BR/><BR/>I know what smog is, having visited several large cities. I agree it's usually a yellowish colour but we're concerned here with midaltitude particles. The most noticable thing about the northern hemisphere as you fly over it at altitude is that the earth seems to be wearing a grey cap.terrythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17327062321100035888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-65979511857960120402008-12-14T01:48:00.000+02:002008-12-14T01:48:00.000+02:00The sky here is grey because of cloud cover, not a...The sky here is grey because of cloud cover, not any particles. I live in an industrial city and know rather well what is a smog cloud (they tend to be yellowish and get stuck between hills in sunny days, but in times of rain they get washed off) and what is a regular atmospheric water cloud. Also these clouds come mostly from the Ocean and, believe me, they are full of water, that more often than not pours down upon arrival. <BR/><BR/>Please...Majuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12369840391933337204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-88144786206106827702008-12-13T22:05:00.000+02:002008-12-13T22:05:00.000+02:00"the dust over the horizon is obviously sand in th..."the dust over the horizon is obviously sand in the air". <BR/><BR/>Particles. So what particles in the air give European skies the same grey haze I saw down near Mauritania? What "climate science" says it is water particles? Reference? I rest my case.terrythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17327062321100035888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-57209011753760246682008-12-12T10:26:00.000+02:002008-12-12T10:26:00.000+02:00Perhaps we should just agree that we have differen...<I>Perhaps we should just agree that we have different opinions on the subject. </I><BR/><BR/>Well, you are questioning climate science based on your own personal, subjective and very patchy perceptions. I can't agree that you have a founded opinion in this matter. Btw, <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Central_mosque_in_Nouakchott.jpg" REL="nofollow">blue sky in Nouakchott</A> (the dust over the horizon is obviously sand in the air^^)Majuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12369840391933337204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-48439659771843461332008-12-11T22:44:00.000+02:002008-12-11T22:44:00.000+02:00"the dominant wind comes from the NW and brings ei..."the dominant wind comes from the NW and brings either stormy fronts or just clouds and clouds - except in Summer when it's high pressures which are more common". <BR/><BR/>Exactly the same as here except the dominant wind is, of course, from the SW. But we can also get rain from the north, south or east and points in between as well. <BR/><BR/>I hate to repeat myself but we have even more rain that Ireland but we have skies similar to northern hemisphere ones only when there are huge bushfires in Australia. Spectacular sunsets though. <BR/><BR/>I do agree that skies are clearer at the western extremities of Europe. In fact I did see blue sky in Clare. Pollution from China is certainly detectable in North America so presumably it encircles the northern hemisphere because of the well spread out input. <BR/><BR/>"The Tropics (West Africa for instance but also south of the Equator) are very rainy but the Sahara is not". <BR/><BR/>I was actually well north of the equator but even on the way down I was very seldom able to see even the smallest patches of land as we flew over Mauritania. I doubt that was because it was raining. <BR/><BR/>Perhaps we should just agree that we have different opinions on the subject.terrythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17327062321100035888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-71043855195905506412008-12-11T18:56:00.000+02:002008-12-11T18:56:00.000+02:00Terry,Your statement:And so it is almost certainly...Terry,<BR/><BR/>Your statement:<BR/><I>And so it is almost certainly the result of human fires of various sorts rather than being a continuation of a very ancient climatic phenomenon.</I><BR/><BR/>Is just plain wrong!<BR/><BR/>The prevailing winds in Ireland are West, South West - so there would have to be smog/industrial pollution/or forest fires in the Atlantic ocean?????<BR/><BR/>No, the cause of the gray, overcast skies, is cold air coming down from the artic, hitting the warm water of the Gulf Stream/North Atlantic Drift, and throwing up water vapor - aka clouds - which are blown over Ireland in a near continuous stream of cloud cover.pconroyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10312469574812832771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-85250588308320223932008-12-11T18:45:00.000+02:002008-12-11T18:45:00.000+02:00Therefore the sort of grey sky we are talking abou...<I>Therefore the sort of grey sky we are talking about is a result of particles in the air...</I><BR/><BR/>It's not. It happens in much better ventilated place like Galicia or West Ireland. In Galicia it's said that "when it rains, it rains and, when not, it's sparkling anyhow". I have no idea about the peculiarities of climate in New Zealand but I know rather well how the climate here works: the dominant wind comes from the NW and brings either stormy fronts or just clouds and clouds - except in Summer when it's high pressures which are more common (and yet storms for in the evenings often). Exceptionally Siberian or Saharan air masses dominate instead with heir own specificities (extreme cold or heat) but they are never the main component for too long. <BR/><BR/>I guess Siberian pressures dominated in the Ice Age with greater force. <BR/><BR/><I>I remember that at times during the Northern Hemisphere Summer, with no prospect of rain, visibility was never anywhere near as far as it is here. The sky was still that dull shade of grey, right down to and including West Africa. And it's not much clearer in North America, and worse in Asia.</I><BR/><BR/>Well, I can assure you that the weather almost every single day in parts of those continents is all day plumby sun (Saudia or Arizona, for instance). And certainly there the skies are blue most of the time. The Tropics (West Africa for instance but also south of the Equator) are very rainy but the Sahara is not. <BR/><BR/>Your impressions seem misguided therefore.Majuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12369840391933337204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-28986216485665361902008-12-11T11:03:00.000+02:002008-12-11T11:03:00.000+02:00I was questioning your experience because earlier ...I was questioning your experience because earlier I wrote (although you seem not to have read it), "the only time I've seen similar sky in this part of the world (the same latitude as Spain and even more rain here than in Britain) is during major bushfires". <BR/><BR/>Therefore the sort of grey sky we are talking about is a result of particles in the air (smog if you prefer), and has very little to do with "the humid Oceanic cloud cover that strikes once and again against Europe's western coasts". And so it is almost certainly the result of human fires of various sorts rather than being a continuation of a very ancient climatic phenomenon. <BR/><BR/>I remember that at times during the Northern Hemisphere Summer, with no prospect of rain, visibility was never anywhere near as far as it is here. The sky was still that dull shade of grey, right down to and including West Africa. And it's not much clearer in North America, and worse in Asia.terrythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17327062321100035888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-50093697881039193832008-12-11T10:12:00.000+02:002008-12-11T10:12:00.000+02:00Have you ever set foot in a country where you can ...<I>Have you ever set foot in a country where you can see blue sky? </I><BR/><BR/>What kind of question is that? Of course! I can see blue skies here when the weather is favorable (Summer or south wind periods). But what really dominates are the NW winds from the Atlantic that mostly bring rain and grey skies. <BR/><BR/>But sure they are more common further south or east in the Mediterranean.Majuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12369840391933337204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-23606467199528194252008-12-11T02:55:00.000+02:002008-12-11T02:55:00.000+02:00"I am talking of a naural phenomenon that has noth..."I am talking of a naural phenomenon that has nothing to do with industrialization at all". <BR/><BR/>Have you ever set foot in a country where you can see blue sky?terrythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17327062321100035888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-43833389935465159712008-12-10T11:23:00.000+02:002008-12-10T11:23:00.000+02:00Completely agree. And probably blond hair and pale...<I>Completely agree. And probably blond hair and pale skin. </I><BR/><BR/>Well, for obvious reasons the tone of the skin is never pale over there (albinos excepted). But anyhow I disagree with white (not pale but more like variations of beige to cafe-au-lait) skin color having originated in Europe. Considering its distribution it's much more likely a West Asian developement in fact. Blond hair may be even older, though surely not too frequent early on. <BR/><BR/>It is only the extreme versions of white skin that are confined to some parts of Europe, and that "radicalization" of the trend is what may be more modern if anything (and obviously requires low solar input). <BR/><BR/><I>Therefore I feel that in Europe this colour of sky didn't exist until the Industrial Revolution.</I><BR/><BR/>Ehm? Are we taliking of the humid Oceanic cloud cover that strikes once and again against Europe's western coasts? Or are you talking of smog? <BR/><BR/>I am talking of a naural phenomenon that has nothing to do with industrialization at all. <BR/><BR/><I>Very true, but you left out their most obvious feature: their eyes. Indicates they evolved in a relatively treeless environment, with glare being a problem, perhaps because of snow but possibly just semidesert conditions</I><BR/><BR/>That's not what I've read and I don't make sense of that anyhow. Obviously the epicantic fold is too much widespread to be explained by any single cause but it's been argued that it's good protection against cold and frost and goes in line wth other East Asian triats (flat face, small hairless body). It's not a matter of glare but of keeping the eyes warm. Anyhow that particular trait is also very common in Northern Europe, albeit in a hybrid form. <BR/><BR/>But it may be just a random fixation anyhow, the Khoi-San also have that trait. Again it's probably just something very old within human variation that got fixaed or not among different groups on factors, possibly random founder effects, that we cannot analyze at all. <BR/><BR/>Trying to find a single cause, moreso an adpatative one, for this or that minor trait is surely doomed to fail. But some extreme traits like very white non-tanneable skin certainly demand an explanation. This is not the normal white skin that gets brown with the sun, it's very pale one that doesn't get tanned, or takes an extremely long period to do so. Mixing normal white with extreme white is a source of confusion. Obviously the tanneable type is older and the extreme type is a recent adaptation (or lost of function, or both) in specific very dark areas only available for colonization since some 10,000 years ago or so. <BR/><BR/><I>I may not have made myself clear but I have never claimed blondism is an adaptation to cold, just to snow. </I><BR/><BR/>I say it's not. Blondism is not one single trait but at least three (if we consider blond and red hair separately, then four). While the general depygmentation message imbued in the involved genes may be adding up in the individual, each trait has its own specific genes, distribution patterns and "evolutionary" history. You can see very pale people with brown eyes and black curly hair and you can see blond people with blue eyes that are very much tanned. And certainly there are "black blondes" too, at least in Oceania. <BR/><BR/>I say that:<BR/><BR/>1. Blond hair is as old as Eurasian humankind, at least - and is not apparently adaptative.<BR/>2. Blue eyes must be as old as the middle Upper Paleolithic - and again it's not apparently adaptative.<BR/>3. White (beige) skin must be as old as Western Eurasians (early UP probably) but extreme truly depygmented pale skin may be a more recent developement. This trait is clearly adaptative for dark climates where UV input is very low, scuring provision of the fundamental vitamin D. There is a wide gradation in this particular trait that may perfectly mean different stages of "evolution" in different times and places.Majuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12369840391933337204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-48496976585695679062008-12-10T05:06:00.000+02:002008-12-10T05:06:00.000+02:00"even if this trait is European in origin, it must..."even if this trait is European in origin, it must have migrated to Africa in the only plausible time: the middle UP (Oranian), when the Cro-Magnon type also arrived to that area. If this is correct, blue eyes are as old in Europe as at least Gravettian". <BR/><BR/>Completely agree. And probably blond hair and pale skin. <BR/><BR/>"What some Westerners are better prepared for is not cold, nor snow but a persistent cloud cover sooo terribly typical of the Atlantic climate". <BR/><BR/>You may not believe it but I have actually been to many regions in the Northern Hemisphere, even Spain. I agree with the grey sky comment but the only time I've seen similar sky in this part of the world (the same latitude as Spain and even more rain here than in Britain) is during major bushfires. Therefore I feel that in Europe this colour of sky didn't exist until the Industrial Revolution. Therefore the comment: <BR/><BR/>"It's clear in any case that blondisms, specially pale skin, were selected for in Northern Europe, probably as adptation to darker enviroments (not necesarily colder)" is not valid except for the bit in brackets. <BR/><BR/>Finally: <BR/><BR/>"East Asians, specially Siberian/steppary peoples, who are arguably more archetypical than the rest, are much better prepared for cold than any western". <BR/><BR/>Very true, but you left out their most obvious feature: their eyes. Indicates they evolved in a relatively treeless environment, with glare being a problem, perhaps because of snow but possibly just semidesert conditions. I may not have made myself clear but I have never claimed blondism is an adaptation to cold, just to snow.terrythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17327062321100035888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-2621066448331983152008-12-09T13:42:00.000+02:002008-12-09T13:42:00.000+02:00We do see more people with pale skin clour as we m...<I>We do see more people with pale skin clour as we move north. But if it's simply a result of use of clothing in low intensity environments how come populations in the East are not as pale as those in the west?<BR/></I><BR/><BR/>First, it seems obvious that when the Eastern Asian type coalesced they did not have the rare "blond" genes to select for. Instead they had others like smoother faces, lack of body hair (all that excelent for cold, much better than western adaptations in fact) and a unique pygmentation set that gives them a yellowish tinge, protecting them from skin cancer almost like black skin but allowing for some vit D metabolism anyhow. East Asians, specially Siberian/steppary peoples, who are arguably more archetypical than the rest, are much better prepared for cold than any western. <BR/><BR/>What some Westerners are better prepared for is not cold, nor snow but a persistent cloud cover sooo terribly typical of the Atlantic climate. And, ask Tim if you doubt me, it's as persistent in the Basque Country as in Britain. Have you ever heard a Londoner nag for excess cloudiness and rain? Only in Bilbao. <BR/><BR/>And it happens that what most expanded after the Ice Age was precisely the geography of Atlantic Europe with its plumby permanent cloud cover and its depressive rains and storms. In fact places like Stockholm or St. Petersburg have nothing to compare with at the same latitude: it's all subartic semidesert over there in Asia or America. The case of Europe, with temperate climate but extreme cloud cover up to very high latitudes, is unique and so are the most favored adaptations therefore. <BR/><BR/>All the bove has not really a direct connection to clothing anyhow. That's a misunderstanding: clothing is old and is used against cold specially but it's not the engine driving cold/cloudy climate adaptations, just an add-on. <BR/><BR/><I>When we look at the region of blond hair, pale skin and blue eyes we see they are collectively concentrated in Northern Europe, especially centred around the Baltic Sea. Does this demonstrate the distibution of a phentype resulting from the use of clothing in prehistoric times?</I><BR/><BR/>No. It has nothing to do with clothes, AFAIK. Clothes only explain why we do not need fur. <BR/><BR/>Anyhow, depending on what traits these are more frequent around the Baltic or the North Sea (blue eyes have a more western preferential distribution than very pale skin, not sure why, probably just an accident). It's clear in any case that blondisms, specially pale skin, were selected for in Northern Europe, probably as adptation to darker enviroments (not necesarily colder). <BR/><BR/>But it's not a trait that has migrated from north to south probably. It surely originated in mainland Europe or even in Asia, in a less dramatic form (less extreme modification, less common), being "refined" and concentrated only in relatively recent times, probably in relation with the post Ice Age colonization of the far north. <BR/><BR/>What I sustain is that the basic traits existed before Epipaleolthic and Neolithic. Blond hair is clear because of the Oceanian parallel trait, light skin was already present maybe with less extreme forms before that period too. <BR/><BR/>Only blue eyes, that appear to have a single common ancestor, may arguably have developed recently in Europe. But their presence in such remote areas like the Sahara suggests to me that, even if this trait is European in origin, it must have migrated to Africa in the only plausible time: the middle UP (Oranian), when the Cro-Magnon type also arrived to that area. If this is correct, blue eyes are as old in Europe as at least Gravettian.Majuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12369840391933337204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-14994991150378821772008-12-09T09:27:00.000+02:002008-12-09T09:27:00.000+02:00I wasn't being specific as to what was changing, j...I wasn't being specific as to what was changing, just that colour was changing. It was you who brought up the subject of hair in humans. <BR/><BR/>And another thing. We do see more people with pale skin clour as we move north. But if it's simply a result of use of clothing in low intensity environments how come populations in the East are not as pale as those in the west? <BR/><BR/>When we look at the region of blond hair, pale skin and blue eyes we see they are collectively concentrated in Northern Europe, especially centred around the Baltic Sea. Does this demonstrate the distibution of a phentype resulting from the use of clothing in prehistoric times?terrythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17327062321100035888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-70314268310082199642008-12-09T06:16:00.000+02:002008-12-09T06:16:00.000+02:00You may not have noticed but it's not our hair tha...<I>You may not have noticed but it's not our hair that changes colour in summer, but our skin.</I><BR/><BR/>Can you stop mixing apples and oranges, hair and skin color? It's outmost confusing.Majuhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12369840391933337204noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-86543728338279564412008-12-09T06:02:00.000+02:002008-12-09T06:02:00.000+02:00"The only apparently relevant adaptation in the ca..."The only apparently relevant adaptation in the case of blondisms, and the most extended one, is that of light skin and rosy cheeks, allowing for an improved absorption of UV rays and metabolization of vitamin D". <BR/><BR/>Certainly not the only one but if you're obsessed with it I'll leave you in peace. <BR/><BR/>"If we were not able to grow fur at all, what use would it be to have it to change colors?" <BR/><BR/>You may not have noticed but it's not our hair that changes colour in summer, but our skin. <BR/><BR/>"I also don't imagine Neanderthals trekking from the tropics to Europe in one generation, rather descending from Home Erectus over millenia - with plenty of time to adapt as they went". <BR/><BR/>Exactly.terrythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17327062321100035888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-87756116141274722882008-12-08T22:05:00.000+02:002008-12-08T22:05:00.000+02:00typo:reindeer skins, not fur...typo:<BR/>reindeer skins, not fur...pconroyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10312469574812832771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-38590052790409208062008-12-08T18:16:00.000+02:002008-12-08T18:16:00.000+02:00Terry, Maju,As regards the Neanderthals, IMO they ...Terry, Maju,<BR/><BR/>As regards the Neanderthals, IMO they would have worn reindeer fur, just like the Saami - which is light, insulating and very warm - owing to the unique properties of the hair follicle. Due to their adaption to the cold and the wearing of furs, I'd imagine they were nearly hairless, with a subcutaneous layer of fat.<BR/><BR/>I also don't imagine Neanderthals trekking from the tropics to Europe in one generation, rather descending from Home Erectus over millenia - with plenty of time to adapt as they went.pconroyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10312469574812832771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-28840662083299337772008-12-08T18:11:00.000+02:002008-12-08T18:11:00.000+02:00Terry,BTW, living in New York, I have seen freckle...Terry,<BR/><BR/>BTW, living in New York, I have seen freckles on African Americans, even when they are barely visible. <BR/><BR/>Same with red haired African Americans. Do you remember the rap group, "Redhead kingpin and the FBI"?pconroyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10312469574812832771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-9128320115045434772008-12-08T18:06:00.000+02:002008-12-08T18:06:00.000+02:00type:...as not only DO THEY BURNtype:<BR/>...as not only DO THEY BURNpconroyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10312469574812832771noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7785493.post-70218758372098050612008-12-08T18:05:00.000+02:002008-12-08T18:05:00.000+02:00Terry,I can't tan at all, only burn. I can get sun...Terry,<BR/><BR/>I can't tan at all, only burn. I can get sunburnt in Ireland - which is on the same latitude as Northern Canada.<BR/><BR/>When I moved to New York about 20 years ago, I went to the beach and liberally applied SPF 45 sun-block and stayed under an umbrella, however I did wade into the water to mid calf, and later forgot to re-apply sun block, and was exposed to the sun for about an hour.<BR/><BR/>Within 2 hours my ankles and lower legs were red and swollen. Within 4 hours I had blisters all over. After a sleepless night, the blisters had merged together and I had lost all skin around my ankles. I had to go to a dermatologist and wear bandages for a week or more.<BR/><BR/>Needless to say I have never been to the beach again.<BR/><BR/>Two of my siblings have to wear sun hats, shades and long sleeved shirts in the summer, as not only do they not burn, they get sun poisoning/sun stroke if they are exposed at all.pconroyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10312469574812832771noreply@blogger.com