Comments on: Biological Puzzles

By: Dave Schuler

Dave Schuler — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 00:07:00 +0000

BTW, there's an interesting NIH study on albinism as a public health issue in Africa. Apparently, the greatest prevalence of the condition there is among the Tonga tribe of Zimbabwe, 1/1,000.

By: John Burgess

John Burgess — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 23:55:15 +0000

Interestingly/oddly, there's a section of the lower MD peninsula, around the towns of TB and Brandywine, that also has a high incidence of albinism.

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:12:33 +0000

The non-loaded answer is "lower incidence of genetic recombination."

The loaded answer is "higher rates of inbreeding."

By: Triumph

Triumph — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:47:42 +0000

Radley Balko asks, “Why does Tanzania have so many Albinos?”

I’m afraid I can’t offer much insight into that one.

Let's remember that Tanzania was the birthplace of the notorious communist and pan-Africanist Julius Nyerere who imposed his red ideology on the people with an iron fist for 20 years.

Given the penchant of commies to control society, the prevalence of albinos probably is part of some lamebrain liberal plan of Nyerere's to promote "multiculturalism."

By: Dave Schuler

Dave Schuler — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:25:23 +0000

It runs in families. Clearly, there are some family strains in Tanzania that are predisposed to it.

Albinism can be a pretty big problem, particularly in tropical countries. A variety of eye conditions, some serious, are associated with it and skin cancer is a definite risk.

By: odograph

odograph — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 18:18:13 +0000

This item is very "tyler cowen"