Race and Evolution
Melanin is a substance found in human skin cells which protects DNA from mutation caused by the sun's ultraviolet rays. Melanin also gives skin its pigmentation. The more melanin a person has the darker their skin is. Darker skinned people get fewer skin cancers than lighter skinned people. However melanin also blocks the production of Vitamin D in the skin. (a process which relies on exposure to sunlight.)
People living in tropical zones near the equator evolved lots of melanin as protection from their abundance of sunlight. They still received enough sunlight to produce Vitamin D. As ancient people migrated to areas of the Earth with less sunlight, however, Vitamin D production became an issue and natural selection favored people with lighter skin tones. This is why Caucasians and Northern Asians have lighter skin.
Racists have tried to use evolution to prove that darker-skinned people are primitives. Creationists have tried to use this as proof that the theory of evolution is inherently racist and flawed. In fact, skin color has nothing to do with intelligence or superiority. It was a simple adaptation used to balance Vitamin D production against the potential damage of ultra violet rays.
Sources: [1] [2]
People living in tropical zones near the equator evolved lots of melanin as protection from their abundance of sunlight. They still received enough sunlight to produce Vitamin D. As ancient people migrated to areas of the Earth with less sunlight, however, Vitamin D production became an issue and natural selection favored people with lighter skin tones. This is why Caucasians and Northern Asians have lighter skin.
Racists have tried to use evolution to prove that darker-skinned people are primitives. Creationists have tried to use this as proof that the theory of evolution is inherently racist and flawed. In fact, skin color has nothing to do with intelligence or superiority. It was a simple adaptation used to balance Vitamin D production against the potential damage of ultra violet rays.
Sources: [1] [2]