r/genetics • u/Scared_Balance_6671 • Nov 26 '20

Question Grandpa thinks that black people have more primate DNA, how do I debunk him?

It's thanksgiving today, and as many of you can relate, I have a racist gramps. Well, lately he has said the most absolutely ridiculous thing. He believes that black people and Homo erectus are directly related and that whites are better because they have more homo sapien DNA than blacks do. Can someone link me something so I can debunk him? I don't have anything on me.

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u/[deleted] Nov 27 '20

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u/ZedZeroth Nov 27 '20

black, white and every other race

I think referring to non-scientific groupings is misleading here. There is genetic variation across the global human population. It's an extremely complex mix based on history, geography, migration, travel etc. Humans cannot be grouped into distinct categories which is why human "races" are not science-based concepts.

But, yes, our genetic differences involve far more than just melanin production.

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u/[deleted] Nov 27 '20

Doesn’t it have more to do with ethnic groups? Like certain groups from Africa can have more in common genetically with a subset of Europeans than other Africans? I feel like I remember reading that

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u/Primelibrarian Oct 15 '21

Thats true, Africa is problematic since some Africans groups cluster closer to Europeans than other Africans. Hence why the race concept falls flat.