#363 Nina Jablonski: The Evolution of Human Skin, and Racism
RECORDED ON AUGUST 7th, 2020.
Dr. Nina G. Jablonski is Evan Pugh University Professor of Anthropology at The Pennsylvania State University. A biological anthropologist and paleobiologist, she studies the evolution of adaptations to the environment in Old World primates including humans. Her research program is focused in two major areas. Her paleoanthropological research concerns the evolutionary history of Old World monkeys, and currently includes an active field project in China. Her research on the evolution of human adaptations to the environment centers on the evolution of human skin and skin pigmentation, and includes an active field project examining the relationship between skin pigmentation and vitamin D production.
In this episode, we talk about the evolution of skin pigmentation and the social implications of racism. We start with how we evolved a skin that has much less hair, and is darker and sweatier than our ancestors’. We also mention depigmentation as an adaptation to places where people are exposed to less sunlight and UV radiation. We talk about the importance of vitamin D, and urbanization and modern migration as a cause of vitamin D deficiency. Finally, we discuss scientific and philosophical racism.
Time Links:
Studying skin pigmentation
The evolution of our hairless, dark and sweaty skin
Depigmentation, and adaptation to lower levels of sunlight
The importance of vitamin D
The health effects of urbanization and migration
Facial expressions and skin decoration
Scientific and philosophical racism
Can we talk about different human “populations”?
Follow Dr. Jablonski’s work!
Follow Dr. Jablonski’s work:
Faculty page: https://bit.ly/30zrlQb
Website: https://bit.ly/2DERBQ6
Human Evolution and Diversity Lab: https://bit.ly/3kjMLsm
ResearchGate profile: https://bit.ly/3kkFush
Amazon page: https://amzn.to/2PEDLQh
TED talk: https://bit.ly/3gDPNWa