Human Variation & Race
1.
Solar radiation is part of our daily life. It is
sunlight and we need some exposure from it to survive. High levels of exposure
to solar radiation and it can greatly affect the human body. At first, it can
cause minor damage to the skin in the form of sunburn damage. Over time, continuous
high exposure can lead to skin cancer. Unfortunately, people who have or had
cancer increase the likelihood of their offspring’s chances of developing cancer.
2.
a. short-term: As solar radiation
hits the skin, the skin quickly produces melanin to protect it.
b. facultative: As the skin
absorbed sunlight, it begins creating vitamin D. Vitamin D is useful for
healthy bones, reducing risk of flu, cancer prevention, etc.
c. developmental: The development
of various skin color emerged due to the location humans were located. Those
closer to the equator had darker skin and those furthest from it had lighter
skin.
d. Cultural:
The use of sunscreen began to help protect people from solar radiation. As the
product progressed, different types of sunscreen emerged and it began covering
the different skin types.
3.
The benefits of studying human variation from
this perspective across environmental clines are that we are capable of
adaptation in different environmental states to survive. It introduces us and
helps us understand how the body adapts by evolution and genetic mutation. We
can grasp a better understanding as to why our body helps us live in other
environments.
4.
I wouldn’t use race to understand the variation
of the adaptations previously listed. Race is a social construct. The study of
environmental influences on adaptations is better because it relies on
research. It goes further in depth and provides a reasonable explanation for
the various adaptations previously listed.
I thought that you did a great job explaining and using examples in your blog. I found it interesting that people who have or had cancer increase the likelihood of their offspring’s chances of developing cancer. I would agree with you that you wouldn't use race to understand the variation of the adaptations because race is a social construct.
ReplyDeleteHello,
ReplyDeleteReally enjoyed your Cultural point about how sunscreen no matter what skin tone you are protects you from suns harsh solar radiation. I have a darker skin tone, and a long time ago I thought i was protected from the suns rays because I had a darker complexion when in reality dark skin tones are more prone to skin cancer! Shocking, but I'm glad this was brought to my attention and I was able to share it with others. The sun is dangerous to our skin no matter the color, and we have to protect it as much as possible. Our skin is our biggest organ and no skin is immune to UV damage.
Good explanation of the dangers of solar radiation stress. Do we gain anything positive from exposure to the sun which complicates this issue?
ReplyDeleteMelanin production is a facultative response, not a short term response. There actually is no short term adaptation to solar radiation which is why it is such a dangerous stress.
" As the skin absorbed sunlight, it begins creating vitamin D."
This is a benefit of solar radiation, but it isn't an adaptation that helps the body resolve the dangers of solar radiation stress. Tanning is a facultative response to solar radiation, turning on genes that increase the production of melanin in the skin to help block harmful rays.
Good on your developmental traits, but why do higher latitudes have lighter skin? Why not just play it safe and keep darker skin?
Good cultural adaptation.
More knowledge is always a good thing, but how can this information be used in a concrete way? Can this have medical implications, e.g., in cancer research? Can we learn how to create clothing that blocks harmful rays but allows for the absorption of Vitamin D? Can we develop windows and glasses that block harmful radiation more efficiently?
Good final section, but I would go a step further and say that race can't be used at all to understand human variation. It has not causal relationship with variation and without that, it can have no explanatory value.