We Love Science
Celebrating the untold stories, the extraordinary discoveries, and the inspiring lives led by those whose jobs, passions, hobbies and more embody their love of science. Hear stories about -- the dedicated scientists who unravel the mysteries of biology; the artists and musicians who highlight the beauty of science through their craft; the educators, policy makers and science outreach advocates whose convictions propel them toward community engagement and preparing the next generation of STEM leaders; and the bona fide science enthusiasts who design their own unique journey to science fulfillment.
We Love Science
Ep 57: Eye-popping Color - The Genetics and Melanin of it All
For our first Science Shorty of the season, we are continuing with the exploration of color and biology, but this time no chickens or other fowl. Instead, we will explore some of the color patterns staring us right in the face—eye color and eye color genetics. Why do people have blue, green, hazel or even purple eyes? Hint: It’s all about the layers of the irides. How are those traits for eye color passed down from parent to child? Hint: Mendel’s rules don’t apply here, at least not completely. There’s more to it than meets the eye! To learn more about eye color and the interesting genetics behind it, listen to the episode.
Tune into this episode to learn:
- What kinds of melanin are responsible for which eye colors
- How irides and eye structure influence eye color
- The interconnectedness of two genes, HERC2 and OCA2, on eye color and the influence on color inheritance
If you enjoyed this episode, check out one more:
- Ep 54: The colorful life of bird eggs - chickens and turkeys
- Ep 44: The colorful life of bird eggs
- Ep 55: CRISPR food science
Resources:
1. Genotype-phenotype associations and human eye color by White and Rabago- Smith in Journal of Human Genetics (2011)
2. What color are your eyes? Teaching the genetics of eye color and vision by Mackey in Nature (2021)
3. Eye Colors from Cleveland Clinic
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