Latest Kinship and descent Stories
Couples who are third or fourth cousins tend to have more kids and grandkids than other couples. And though considered somewhat of a cultural taboo, mating between "kissing cousins" makes good biological sense, say scientists. The findings, which come from a recent study of Icelanders, shed light on how relatedness affects reproduction and ultimately the size of families. The researchers suggest marrying third and fourth cousins is so optimal for reproduction because...
By Kitcher, Philip I There are simple and powerful arguments against the biological reality of race.1 Although the phenotypic characteristics, the manifest features that have traditionally been used to divide our species into races, are salient for us, they are superficial, indicating nothing about important differences in psychological traits or genetic conditions that constitute some racial essence. Throughout history, allegations of deep differences in temperament and capacity, claims...
ROCHESTER, N.Y., March 14 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The more than 200,000 "kinship caregivers" in New York state -- grandparents and other relatives raising family members' children -- now have a single resource for services under a new statewide program. The New York State Kinship Navigator Program offers a comprehensive information and referral network for caregivers to learn more about services and to obtain referrals to legal, financial, educational, health/mental health, support-group...
WASHINGTON -- The journal Science's pick for breakthrough of the year in 2005 is "evolution in action," focusing on studies of how evolution works and how it affects lives today. Several research projects were discussed at meetings to choose the annual breakthrough winner. "Then we realized they were all connected to evolution," said Colin J. Norman, news editor of Science. "We realized that if we put these together at the molecular level, it's been a banner year for...
Research showing how genes affect group loyalty and patriotism was published in the October 2005 issue of Nations and Nationalism, an academic journal of the London School of Economics. Entitled "Ethnic nationalism, evolutionary psychology, and genetic similarity theory," it shows how genetic similarity provides "social glue" in groups as small as two spouses and best friends or in those as large as nations and alliances. The evidence comes from studies of identical and...
LONDON, Ontario -- A paper showing a strong genetic contribution to patriotism and in-group loyalty was published in the October issue of Nations and Nationalism, 11, 489-507, entitled "Ethnic nationalism, evolutionary psychology, and genetic similarity theory." Co-ethnics are as similar to each other as half-siblings when compared to all the genetic variation in the world. Two-random English people are the equivalent of 1/32 cousin by comparison with Germans; 3/8 cousin by...
LONDON, Ontario -- A paper showing a strong genetic contribution to patriotism and in-group loyalty was published in the October issue of Nations and Nationalism, 11, 489-507, entitled "Ethnic nationalism, evolutionary psychology, and genetic similarity theory." Co-ethnics are as similar to each other as half-siblings when compared to all the genetic variation in the world. Two-random English people are the equivalent of 1/32 cousin by comparison with Germans; 3/8 cousin by...
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Contrary to what the "hygiene hypothesis" suggests, the youngest children in a family are not less likely than older siblings to develop multiple sclerosis (MS), new research suggests. According to the hygiene hypothesis, being too clean is not a good thing. Infections at an early age actually trains the immune system to respond appropriately to the environment, and this protects kids against certain diseases like asthma and MS, so the argument goes. Having...
When a child has a serious medical illness or condition, there is an obvious sense of urgency among parents and doctors in meeting the sick child's physical and mental health needs. Unfortunately, this can sometimes have a negative impact on the well-being of healthy siblings. An article in the June issue of The Journal of Pediatrics outlines a new program that focuses on the needs of well children dealing with the complexity of having an ill sibling. Joanna Fanos, Ph.D. and colleagues at the...
