From Mutation to Domination: Is Red Hair and Blue Eyes a Sign of Inbreeding?
The spread of blue eyes across continents can be attributed to various factors, including migration and the founder effect. The founder effect occurs when a small group of individuals with a specific trait, in this case, blue eyes, establishes a new population. As this population grows and reproduces, the trait becomes more prevalent in subsequent generations.
This phenomenon has led to the high occurrence of blue eyes in certain regions, such as Northern Europe, where around half of the population has blue eyes. However, blue eyes are not limited to these areas and can be found in populations worldwide, with a higher concentration in Europeans, including those in Spain. Today, blue eyes are relatively rare, with only around 8-10% of the global population possessing this eye color.