Scientists discover dozens of new genes for hair colour

[ignhelper]

Forensic scientists are a step closer to predicting the colour of a suspect’s hair from their DNA alone after the discovery of more than 100 new genes that influence the shade of a person’s locks.
A test based on the new genetic markers was 10-20% more accurate than existing forensic tests and was most reliable for red or black hair, with brown or blond hair proving harder to predict, researchers said.
“If someone leaves blood at a crime scene, you could say from their DNA whether they had black or red hair with about 90% certainty,” said Tim Spector, a lead author on the work at King’s College London.
The colour of a person’s hair is one of the most heritable features of their appearance, with studies on twins suggesting that genetics explains up to 97% of hair colour. Until now scientists have known of only 13 genes that affect where an individual’s hair will lie on the scale from light to dark.
After studying the DNA of nearly 300,000 people, researchers from King’s and Erasmus MC in Rotterdam uncovered 124 genes that contributed to hair colour, either by directly affecting the production and distribution of the natural pigment melanin or through other biological mechanisms, many of which are still unclear.
The fresh haul of hair colour genes explain 35% of red hair, 25% of blond hair and 26% of black hair, according to the study, reported in the journal Nature Genetics. It is likely that hundreds of other genes also affect hair colour in ways that were too subtle for the scientists to detect.

Scientists discover dozens of new genes for hair colour | Scienc..

[Cruncy]

Soon you will be able to change hair color, and customize your look before you are born!

[Sax]

Is this Eve Online?

[Septekka]

wow i can't wait to have a kid and give them spiky neon green hair, dumbo ears, and a nose the length of the great wall of china

[HazzaHardie]

Fallout 3 irl

[Murk]

Finally we can work on a cure for anime protagonist syndrome

[XUZUL]

Natural blue hair would be so fucking badass

SSGSS here I come

[ignhelper]

Redheads will not die out

[HookerVomit]

I want hair hair that sparkles

[Dr.C]

I can believe it. If you have markers that determine the person is african or asian, you can almost guarantee it'll be black hair but it's going to get a lot harder when you have to deal with people of european descent

[Sumap]

Now for our dark cyberpunk future, we'll have the big sunscreen corporations editing people's genes to make everyone a redhead, ensuring they always have a market.