Ginger
Apparently it's caused by a defective gene or some such.

Also I've heard that most ginger people can't roll their tongues :o

Is this true?
(British Steel was participating in awesomeness on, Fri 26 Feb 2010, 6:52, 9 replies)

I can
I can roll my tongue, and I'm VERY ginger!
(GsterMum, Fri 26 Feb 2010, 7:00, closed)

WARNING: Science ahead
Hair (and skin) colour are partially determined by the activity of a protein known as melanocortin 1 receptor, or MC1R. MC1R directs the activity of melanocytes, cells which produce one of two forms of melanin, a pigmentation molecule. The two forms are phaeomelanin and eumelanin. Eumelanin is black or brown, while phaeomelanin is red. When the MC1R protein is stimulated, it switches production in melanocytes from phaeomelanin to eumelanin (which is why people tan - it can be activated in the skin following UV exposure).

Different genetic polymorphisms in the MC1R gene affect the activity of the protein. People with red and blond hair have these polymorphisms, which reduce the activity of MC1R and therefore lead to reduced eumelanin production. Differing levels of melanin types give the range of colours of hair from blond to red to brown to black. Blond people have a small amount of brown eumelanin, and redheads have an excess of phaeomelanin and not much eumelanin. This is also why blondes and redheads often burn easily and don't tan - they can't produce as much eumelanin to protect against UV.

These are recessive mutations, as they are loss-of-function - you need two copies of the defective gene to cause a phenotypic change, as one "normal" copy can usually compensate. So, even if you have black hair, you may still carry a gene for blond or red hair depending on the haplotype you inherited from each of your parents.

Tongue rolling is a completely different set of genes.
(oball needs Satan more than he needs me, Fri 26 Feb 2010, 7:46, closed)

Tongue rolling is a completely different set of genes
Well where's the fun in that?
(British Steel was participating in awesomeness on, Fri 26 Feb 2010, 8:24, closed)

There was a report not long ago
That the ginger gene is a recessive traceable back to Neanderthal. And it's caveman. That caused huge hilarity for my nephew. He's 6'5" about 16 stone and ginger.
(porkylips looks better as the sun goes down., Fri 26 Feb 2010, 8:40, closed)

Can't imagine a ginger cave man
They must have got shunned by other cavemen so therefore must have been mahoosive to have survived darwins wheel of revolution.
(British Steel was participating in awesomeness on, Fri 26 Feb 2010, 9:00, closed)

FFS at least google a bit.
There was some persuasive study which suggested blonde hair developed among females to attract men during a time of high female to male population ratio after the last European ice age. It may well have first appeared in Scandinavia, and moved to trading. Gradually it changed to red hair - possible as it was more successful at attracting males.
My theory is the present discrimination is because there aren't enough redheads to go round - men do find them attractive, but cannot admit to wanting something they are not likely to get.
( Larry Vest One day at a time, sweet Jesus, FFS., Fri 26 Feb 2010, 9:49, closed)

Blonde hair as sexual attractor
The other theory is that as blonde hair is more common in the European young, blondes who retain their hair colour into adulthood appear more youthful/healthier, and a better mating prospect. Also, as a youthful appearance is more effective at reducing aggression, they were less likely to be killed.
(all my scars face forward possesses 2.5% of a hyperalloy combat chassis, Fri 26 Feb 2010, 10:09, closed)

Dark hair = waaaaaaaaaay more attractive

( idonthaveafunnynickname Drink-Aware? Sure. I'm aware I want another drink., Fri 26 Feb 2010, 10:37, closed)

Try telling Hitler that

( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Fri 26 Feb 2010, 11:49, closed)

There's no such thing as a defective gene
It's all variation.
( rofl harris, Fri 26 Feb 2010, 11:33, closed)

Tell that to someone with phenylketonuria.
Or osteogenesis imperfecta.

Or porphyria.

Or any of the many, many other diseases caused by defective genes.
(oball needs Satan more than he needs me, Fri 26 Feb 2010, 12:02, closed)