Health & Medicine
Genes: Smarter, Taller Kids Come With Genetic Diversity
Kathleen Lees
First Posted: Jul 03, 2015 03:21 PM EDT
Want smarter kids? Genetic diversity may be key then.
New findings published published in the journal Nature reveal that parents with diverse genetic backgrounds are more likely to have taller and smarter children than counterparts with more similarly linked genes.
Researchers at the University of Edinburg conducted the study by analyzing more than 100 different investigations performed across the globe. Study subjects from the experiment encompassed about 350,000 individuals settling in both urban and rural areas.
Researchers specifically compared the genetic diversity of the genomes involved by zeroing in on 16 different biomedical traits. Furthermore, they also took into account factors that could influence the outcome of the study, including upbringing of the child and the socio-economic status.
"We've found that the genetics are associated quite robustly across populations, and although we tried to compensate for environmental factors, we think the genetic effects are real," said the first author of the study, Peter Joshi, in a statement. "There has been speculation ever since Charles Darwin that genetic diversity would be beneficial in terms of evolutionary fitness. We think genetic diversity decreases the chances of inheriting defecting copies of the same gene from both father and mother."
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TagsHealth, Human, Genetic Diversity, Genetics, Diversity, Background, Parents, Genes, Children, nature, Journal, Taller, Smarter, University of Edinburg, Encompassed, Socio-Ecnomic Status, Biomedical, Factors, Influence, Kids, Family, Offspring, Charles Darwin ©2024 ScienceWorldReport.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The window to the world of science news.
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First Posted: Jul 03, 2015 03:21 PM EDT
Want smarter kids? Genetic diversity may be key then.
New findings published published in the journal Nature reveal that parents with diverse genetic backgrounds are more likely to have taller and smarter children than counterparts with more similarly linked genes.
Researchers at the University of Edinburg conducted the study by analyzing more than 100 different investigations performed across the globe. Study subjects from the experiment encompassed about 350,000 individuals settling in both urban and rural areas.
Researchers specifically compared the genetic diversity of the genomes involved by zeroing in on 16 different biomedical traits. Furthermore, they also took into account factors that could influence the outcome of the study, including upbringing of the child and the socio-economic status.
"We've found that the genetics are associated quite robustly across populations, and although we tried to compensate for environmental factors, we think the genetic effects are real," said the first author of the study, Peter Joshi, in a statement. "There has been speculation ever since Charles Darwin that genetic diversity would be beneficial in terms of evolutionary fitness. We think genetic diversity decreases the chances of inheriting defecting copies of the same gene from both father and mother."
Related Articles
Neanderthal-Human Hybrid Reveals that Two Species Interbred Relatively Recently
For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN).
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone