There is a lot of diversity among humans but science says the more diversity lies in our genes, the taller and smarter we are.
A new study suggests just that, revealing that people who are genetically diverse are more likely to have taller and smarter children than ones who resemble each other in terms of genetic background.
The researchers realized that the offspring of people who chose their partners from different parts of the world would be taller and more likely to have a higher IQ. These children would score better in tests and had better chances to go to college. This actually confirms older theories related to ethnic and racial diversity.
In order to reach such conclusions, the researchers looked at the medical and genetic data of 350,000 people from all over the world. The genetic background was previously associated mainly with the person’s state of health. There are many conditions and inclinations that a person can inherit. Greater height and sharpness have not been associated with genetic diversity before.
After looking at the link between a diverse genetic pool and individual traits, the researchers came to the conclusion that four areas were greatly influenced. These referred to the people’s height, their higher IQ, their lung capacity and their likelihood to attend higher education.
This new research can be very useful for humans, especially in a world where it is increasingly important to adapt to change and be competitive in order to survive.
The theory might back Dr. James Flynn’s study that was issued in 1930. This study showed that new generations tend to be smarter than the past generations. There have been many attempts to find explanations for such differences but none has proved completely satisfactory.
The explanation that genetic diversity is becoming more popular than it used to be is very plausible in this context. People are now more likely to find partners who are very different from them because race is not an issue anymore and there is a lot of migration from one continent to another.
Further research needs to be done, but this does not diminish the importance of this particular study:
“Our research answers questions first posed by Darwin as to the benefits of genetic diversity. Our next step will be to hone in on the specific parts of the genome that most benefit from diversity,” said Dr. Peter Joshi from the University of Edinburgh’s Usher Institute.
The findings were published in the journal Nature.
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