eli5: If more melanin is advantageous in warm climates, why is less of it advantageous in colder climates? Wouldn’t darker skin still be most advantageous in cold climates where it might occasionally be hot?

Question

eli5: If more melanin is advantageous in warm climates, why is less of it advantageous in colder climates? Wouldn’t darker skin still be most advantageous in cold climates where it might occasionally be hot?

In: 1641

Answer 1

There’s another evolutionary aspect to this which seems to be missed so far in this thread. Imagine a dark skinned hunter, trying to catch prey in a predominantly white landscape! Would that work??? Of course not! Obviously the same applies the other way too.