Theories Explaining Physical Features of Humans (Research Paper Sample)

Theories Explaining Physical Features of Humans
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Theories explaining physical features of humans
There have been several differences in the physical appearances between people from different natives. For example, the skin complexion has always varied among individuals coming from different parts of the world. This, however, has not been taken for what it is. For example, people have misused these differences and thus ended up discriminating one another. The wide range of varying skin complexions has brought about racism which is extreme in some parts of the universe that those with the minority happen to have their lives at risk. In addition to that, some people feel like their complexion is more precious than the others and, as a result, diminished other people. Some of whose personal esteems end up lowered beyond recovery that they opt for different mechanisms to change their colors. This is evident in the upcoming cases of bleaching one’s skin, so they become lighter.
This is currently affected by the use of certain soaps, pills and body creams. Research also indicates that some skin types are being used as commodities. This is especially the Albino-white skin which has increased cases of kidnapping just to get that skin and earn from it. In addition to that, the white skinned complexions happen to enjoy certain privileges. This is evidenced from the times of the colonial regime were only the blacks were exposed to hard labor and especially working under the sun. It also has been shown that the white in complexion have used this advantage or disadvantage as a property. This is as proved in the United States where the white Americans were recognized in the better rights and privileges that were even outlined in their bill of rights. It was also noted that, in the Colonial India, the white Indians were granted more favors and rights which the native ones were denied.
In addition to that, people have also been discriminated on grounds of more of their physical appearances apart from skin. For instance, the eye color with some being blue, others yellow at certain times among other colors have also caused discriminations among the human race. Hair loss has also been used to create a split among people. This has especially affected those who happen to lose their hair and in most cases end up bald at tender ages. There has also been the growth of tufts of hair in the nose and ears of different people. This has caused some of them to undergo rejection from the society because of their appearance. These are only few of the different physical manifestations of man that have caused much pain than happiness among others.
It should and must be understood that no one decides to be whom they are. It should also be appreciated among men the fact that no one is a lesser being than the other because of their appearance. This is of course supported by the fact that our potentials are always within us. All these discriminations have caused hostility among people, and yet that should not be the case. It is only fair that we appreciate one another for who we are. We should also understand the fact that some of our appearances are so in order to sustain us in the climates of the different environments in which we have inhabited. It is because of these reasons that we opted to look deep into the disparities in the physical form of people. In this research, we explored the different theories that try to explain the causes of these variations hoping that people will now understand and become more reasonable.
To begin with, of the diverse theories trying to explain the disparities in the skin color of man, we opted for the theory of evolution. This is because it gives clear facts on the issue and has exhausted the whole affair. It has of course been affected by a series of researches. They are from several anthropologists including Jablonski who is a specialist in the field and Chaplain who is an expert in the field of Biochemistry. This theory dates back to more than 4.5 million years and 2 million years later. When man had come from the rain forest climate, and was adopting life in the East African Savanna. It was at that time that man engaged in several antics in order to meet for his daily living.
This included exposure to the sun for longer hours while working. It was at this juncture that the evolution of man’s skin took place at a drastic rate. From her research, Jablonski who now chairs the department of Anthropology at California Academy of Sciences discovered that the mammalian brain is susceptible to overheating. She noted that an increase of almost 6 degrees of its temperature can result to a heart stroke. Therefore, our ancestors who happened to know this came up with sweating which has a cooling effect on the body. Their sweat glands were, however, few and were majorly located on their palms as well as their soles. As the man continued to evolve, the offspring developed more sweat glands in order that they affect more sweating and in turn causing the offspring to be healthier compared to their fore fathers. Human beings have around 2 million sweat glands which are spread all over our bodies. This is after 2 million years following the theory of natural selection. It has been affected by our skins being less hairy when compared with that of our closest ancient relations (chimpanzees).
The first theories regarding this issue are dated to years before the 1970s. However, most of them were racist and advanced the split that was among men. In those theories, the white skin was portrayed to be anti-cold temperatures. On the understanding of the impact of the racist theories, researchers decided to get to an exploration of the roots of all this. In her discoveries, Jablonski explained skin color with close reference to either the plenty or lack of vitamins in a person’s body. She was able to find out a study conducted in 1978 which focused on the effects that the Ultra Violet rays have on the folate vitamins. The folate is a constituent of the vitamins B complex. She found out that a single hour of exposure to intense sunlight was enough. In that, that exposure decreases the folate levels to as less as half of its composition if your skin is light in color. She later came into the co-relation between the neutral-tube defects like anencephaly and low folate levels. Anencephaly is a condition in which an infant is born either without a full brain if not a spinal cord. This was with Chap lain’s involvement when they suspected that skin colors of different people across the universe resulted from the intensity of the UV light that they received. It earlier had been noted that hairless skin was at a greater risk of destruction by sunlight. It was supported with the relationship that exists between skin cancer and sunlight. The scientists then presumed that man evolved melanin. This is a pigment responsible for the absorption and dispersion of UV light. They also found out that sunburned nipples would debilitate breast feeding putting the minor’s life at risk. This problem would be solved by a slight tan among the mothers and thus most women opted for it especially in their early months of pregnancy. From their research (chaplain and Jabslonki), it resulted to anencephaly.
A majority of people thus ended up being in preference of using male contraceptives to solve this. It happened to be effective since it contained a foliate inhibitor which is crucial for the development of sperms. It thus override all foliate in the body which if not would be the reason behind dark skin. In 1960, they came up with the discovery that skin color was a result of the body’s need for vitamin D, which is majorly, obtained from the UV light rays via absorption through the melanin cells. Vitamin D is known to support absorption of calcium into the bones enhancing development of an unborn. This was evidenced in a woman’s need for this vitamin. While in the family way in which causes them to be lighter than they always are as well as being lighter than men. People living at the northern hemisphere where the in...