7 Facts You Don't Know About Redheads | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

7 Facts You Don't Know About Redheads

And no, we're not going extinct.

5727
7 Facts You Don't Know About Redheads
theunaustralian.net

November 5th is National "Love Your Red Hair" Day, and let me tell you something: Once you get past all of the ginger jokes and the older women asking you if your hair color is natural, it's a pretty sweet deal to feel so unique.

To celebrate, here are some little-known facts about redheads that you've probably never heard before:

1. Ireland does not have the most redheads


Scotland has the highest concentration of redheads at 13%, while Ireland's redhead concentration is around 10%. While we also make up 5% of America's population, the U.S. has the greatest number of redheads at 6-8 million, compared to Ireland's 300,000 or Scotland's 420,000.

2. We produce vitamin D easier than other people


The low melanin concentration in our skin that causes us to burn so easily also allows for the production of vitamin D to happen with less necessary exposure to sunlight.

3. Red hair holds its pigment better than other hair colors


This means that we a) go gray much later than everyone else or don't gray at all, and b) have a really hard time trying to dye our hair any other color. (But really, who wouldn't want red hair?)

4. Sperm banks stopped taking in donations from redheads


In 2011, Cryos International, the largest sperm bank in the world, made news when they stopped taking donations from gingers because their supply greatly outweighed their demand. (The answer to my previous question: apparently a lot of people!)

5. People throughout history have thought redheads are evil


In medieval times, people thought that red hair was associated with the heretical nature of the Jews and their rejection of Jesus, and therefore Judas was depicted as a redhead in most paintings. During the witch hunts of 16th and 17th century Christian Europe, some women were burned at the stake for their fiery hair as it was seen as a sign of guilt of witchcraft. Satan and Cain were often painted as red heads to show their evil-ness as well.

6. Red hair and GREEN eyes, statistically speaking, are the rarest combination in the world

Only about 2% of the human population has green eyes, while almost 17% of the world has blue eyes. If you pair that with the rarity of red hair (at 1-2%), it would only make sense that the rarest combination in the world is actually red hair and green eyes.

The idea that blue eyes are the rarest eye color comes from Mendelian genetics (you know, those squares you drew in high school), but it has been discovered that up to 16 different genes are responsible for eye color. So while blue eyes are most often trumped by the dominant brown-eyed gene, there are many other factors that determine your color of eyes, an idea which isn't taken into account with the "redhead/blue eye" claim.

7. We are not going extinct


Red hair is a recessive trait that is controlled by, really, only the MC1R gene (this works perfectly with those little squares from high school biology). Yes, there are more interracial couples now than ever in history, but that doesn't mean that the gene will never be expressed: Someone could carry the gene for generations and not know it. While only 2% of people actually gingers, up to 4% of people are carriers of the gene that have the potential of passing it down to their offspring, even if they themselves are expressing a dominant brown- or black-haired gene.

Back in 2007, a hoax article was published first talking about the probability of us going extinct. This was then perpetuated by other articles talking about climate change leading more of us to get skin cancer because of the heat and sun and dying off as a form of natual selection.

Sorry, world, you're not getting rid of us that easily. Happy National Redhead Day!

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Featured

15 Mind-Bending Riddles

Hopefully they will make you laugh.

192438
 Ilistrated image of the planet and images of questions
StableDiffusion

I've been super busy lately with school work, studying, etc. Besides the fact that I do nothing but AP chemistry and AP economics, I constantly think of stupid questions that are almost impossible to answer. So, maybe you could answer them for me, and if not then we can both wonder what the answers to these 15 questions could be.

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Most Epic Aurora Borealis Photos: October 2024

As if May wasn't enough, a truly spectacular Northern Lights show lit up the sky on Oct. 10, 2024

16186
stunning aurora borealis display over a forest of trees and lake
StableDiffusion

From sea to shining sea, the United States was uniquely positioned for an incredible Aurora Borealis display on Thursday, Oct. 10, 2024, going into Friday, Oct. 11.

It was the second time this year after an historic geomagnetic storm in May 2024. Those Northern Lights were visible in Europe and North America, just like this latest rendition.

Keep Reading...Show less
 silhouette of a woman on the beach at sunrise
StableDiffusion

Content warning: This article contains descriptions of suicide/suicidal thoughts.

When you are feeling down, please know that there are many reasons to keep living.

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

Power of Love Letters

I don't think I say it enough...

458871
Illistrated image of a letter with 2 red hearts
StableDiffusion

To My Loving Boyfriend,

  • Thank you for all that you do for me
  • Thank you for working through disagreements with me
  • Thank you for always supporting me
  • I appreciate you more than words can express
  • You have helped me grow and become a better person
  • I can't wait to see where life takes us next
  • I promise to cherish every moment with you
  • Thank you for being my best friend and confidante
  • I love you and everything you do

To start off, here's something I don't say nearly enough: thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart. You do so much for me that I can't even put into words how much I appreciate everything you do - and have done - for me over the course of our relationship so far. While every couple has their fair share of tiffs and disagreements, thank you for getting through all of them with me and making us a better couple at the other end. With any argument, we don't just throw in the towel and say we're done, but we work towards a solution that puts us in a greater place each day. Thank you for always working with me and never giving up on us.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

11 Signs You Grew Up In Hauppauge, NY

Because no one ever really leaves.

27180
Map of Hauppauge, New York
Google

Ah, yes, good old Hauppauge. We are that town in the dead center of Long Island that barely anyone knows how to pronounce unless they're from the town itself or live in a nearby area. Hauppauge is home to people of all kinds. We always have new families joining the community but honestly, the majority of the town is filled with people who never leave (high school alumni) and elders who have raised their kids here. Around the town, there are some just some landmarks and places that only the people of Hauppauge will ever understand the importance or even the annoyance of.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments