I'm no genetic scientist or any kind of scientist at all, so don't ask me how to define or explain any of this as genetics! But without vouching for the truth of the science or even the truth of this story and its reporters and commenters, I'm fully qualified to see this as part of a shift in understanding reality that is culturally significant, and to imagine (hope? Work to insure?) that we will digest it properly in time, like the one-big-extended-family meal it seems likely to be. . .

Can you tell if you're black or white?

Category: Genetics
September 27, 2006

Last winter a story surfaced about "black" and "white" twins.

As you can see by the picture the main difference is in skin color, though genetically full sisters (fraternal twins), one twin has the complexion typical of a northern European, while the other is darker skinned.

Contrary to the news reports the darker skinned twin does not seem to exhibit the modal complexion of sub-Saharan Africans, rather, she is several shades lighter. In fact, the photo suggests that she is about the same color as her parents, who are both genetically 1/2 European and 1/2 black. . .