Unmasking
Skin: National Geographic takes a look at skin; the body's largest
organ. Of particular note is A
New Light on Skin Color by Saadia Iqbal making the case that skin
color is nothing more than an evolutionary adaptation and not an indicator
of a man-made 'race' classification. See also the American
Anthropological Association Statement on "Race"; noting
essentially that:"With the vast expansion of
scientific knowledge in this century, however, it has become clear that
human populations are not unambiguous, clearly demarcated, biologically
distinct groups."
The
Genetic Archaeology of Race by Steve Olson of the Atlantic
Monthly also provides a good overview of developments in the genetic
sciences. A more detailed discussion can be found on Science Magazine's
Cultural
Anthropology: DNA Studies Challenge the Meaning of Race by
Eliot Marshall (Free Abstract, Fee for full article). Other good
resources can be found at Stanford University's Race,
Genes & Anthropology site.
Scientific America's Does
Race Exist? and Policy Review's Medicine's
Race Problem look at the question from the pure perspective of the
medical sciences. Also look at Episode 8 of Bill Nye's The
Eyes of Nye produced by KCTS Television.
Our brains have developed and refined the ability to distinguish
differences like skin
color. This evolutionary adaptation is a two edged sword. How,
but Not Why, the Brain Distinguishes Race provides some insight
into the brain's mechanism for categorizing the differences we see in fellow
humans. Keep in mind (pun intended) that until Galileo's Dialogue
Concerning the Two Chief World Systems , many
perceived that the Sun revolved around the Earth.