What are the advantages of light skin, and why is it selected for at higher latitudes?
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UV light in sunlight damages the DNA in our skin cells, but it is also used by our body to produce vitamin D.
Dark skin contains lots of melanin, which blocks a large amount of UV light. This protects the DNA in our skin from being damaged to a dangerous degree, but it also reduces the amount of vitamin D that is produced.
Near the equator there is lots of sunlight, so more protection is necessary. Away from the equator there is less sunlight, so the protection has to be reduced to prevent a vitamin D deficiency.
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