TED Talk Week 3

Melinene is natural sunscreen. It was developed from evolution to protect from ultraviolet radiation,the destruction of DNA, and to prevent breaking down an important molecule called folate. Folate is a molecule that helps fuel cell production,improves reproduction in the body, and should be protected. People in the northern hemispheric environments were at a disadvantage to produce any vitamin D from their skin so to ensure they would be healthy, evolution created lighter skin. People going from low UV to high UV areas in the Transatlantic Slave Trade. People from high UV areas being forced to work in low UV areas cause a Vitamin D deficiency. 

I personally don’t understand the comment about President Obama on his “desk job”. My take from this TedTalk is to take away identity from human skin color. I think this concept is nice to try and simplify skin color but I really think it’s just too late to try and take identity away from skin color. I understand the concept is to explain skin color on a scientific base level but it’s hard to keep it on a scientific level when the title is “Skin Color is an Illusion”. History has shown skin color is not an illusion and has influenced countless years of humanity’s decisions. I do like what she said about skin color, that we, “have the evolution of the history of our species,part of it, written in your skin. Understand it. Appreciate it. Celebrate it.”. I think it’s a great quote but there is a reason we can celebrate it and that has to do more with human history and less with evolution history of humans.