Skin pigmentation in Europe: a later and more complex evolution than expected

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Skin pigmentation in Europe: a later and more complex evolution than expected

The skin colour of the first Europeans has long been assumed to be clear, as a result of rapid adaptation to low levels of sunlight. However, a new study conducted by researchers at the University of Ferrara and published on bioRxiv calls into question this idea. By analysing the DNA of 348 individuals who lived between 45,000 and 1,700 years B.C.E., scientists show that the majority of Europeans still had dark skin only 3,000 years ago. This di…