Evolution & Human Origins

Europeans did not always look the same as they do today. Among the things that have changed are skin tone, which has gotten lighter over time. In fact, according to new research, the pale complexions associated with European ancestry today only appeared in the region within the range of historical time. In a new study published in the journal bioRxiv, researchers from the University of Ferrara in Italy introduce the fascinating results of their genetic study of ancient Eurasian populations, which show that light skin only became common in Europe in the first millennium AD. For 96% of the history of European people, dark skin was the norm, and it was only in the fourth of fifth century that more