The Genetic Basis for Skin Pigmentation in African Populations

Why do humans look so different from one another? Why do we have different types of hair and different skin colors? And what do these traits have to do with the concept of race?

On this episode, we talk with Tina Lasisi, incoming professor at the University of Michigan, about variation in human hair structure and skin color. We talk about why such variation may have evolved, and how biologists are studying it. We also discuss the implications of her work for the concept of race. Tina encourages scientists and the public to be curious about (rather than afraid of) human diversity, as it’s an obvious part of our world that should be understood from multiple perspectives, including biological.

Also be sure to check out the Preprints in Motion podcast here!

Cover art by Keating Shahmehri