javajoe
Coffee Master
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 151
Location: 33° 43.40' N / 118° 11.20' W
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 Posted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 5:05 pm Post subject: Bitterness gene and malaria in Africa. |
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Here's an interesting fact.
Humans have an extreme sensitivity to detecting bitter substances. Why? well, some believe that since the majority of poisons/toxins are bitter (e.g strychnine, nicotine, cyanide, etc) humans evolved with this protection mechanism.
According to the researchers at the Univ. College of London, they found that the variability of this gene is highly dependent on geographical location. Their findings showed that 98% of those people with the extreme sensitivity to bitterness live in coountries outside of Africa.
But, there is another variant of the bitter gene, one which is less sensitive to bitterness. Of those only 14% live in Africa. Are these the survivors of a population that existed before the more sensitive variant evolved?
Scientists believe that the less sensitive gene, allowed tribes to consume large quantities of bitter foods (some containing cyanide) that may have protected them from malaria. And if you look at maps where malaria is the most severe, these same people live precisely in those regions.
Yes, science is a wonderful thing...
Source: Sci.Am Mind, June/July 06, p56
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"Education is not so much the filling of a vessel, but the kindling of an eternal flame" |
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