Like all soon-to-be-parents, the Laing's could not wait to lay their eyes on their newborn daughter. Everyday, for nine months, they wondered who's eyes, nose, and ears she would have. The day of delivery was a day of panic because Sandra Laing's white parents gave birth to a black daughter.
JERRY! JERRY! JERRY!
First, how can two white parent's have a black child? Mrs. Laing must've had "another lover." Secondly, how do you explain this to the South African authorities during the Apartheid? Mrs. Laing could have had an affair with a black many; however, it is unlikely due to social pressures. Is it genetically possible for two parents of the same race to give birth to a child of a different race?
Many plant species experience dormancy. Their genes can become dormant, or inactive, due to environmental, internal, genetic factor. For example, shrubs often suspend growth during winters in order to ensure survival. The genes of humans are also susceptible for dormancy. The sum total of all genes in a human is called the genotype. Dormancy is nothing new. Manny of our genes are dormant or become dormant. The turning on and turning off of genes affects our phenotype, which is why we begin to look different as we grow older.
I believe the same thing happened to Sandra Laing. South Africa is a racially diverse country. It is possible that one of her ancestors was black. Her parents, grandparents, and great grandparents were all white, but her difference in pigment could be the result of a reactivated gene.
Mr. Laing was proven to possibly be her father, but the paternity test was inconclusive.
Do you think Sandra Laing is the product of an affair? or Could this all be about genetics?
This is very interesting, and while it may be possible the child is darker because of genetics I think it is more likely that she had an affair. There is not just one gene that determines skin color but 3. This is called polygenic inheritence. Think of it as aabbcc is the lightest skin color and AABBCC would be the darkest. A mix of those two(AaBbCc) would be a person in between those two colors.Depending on the genotype of the two parents it may be possible for them to create a darker child but the liklihood is pretty slim.
ReplyDeleteThat is insane but isn't skin color controlled by several genes not just one? So if this dormant gene were to be reactivated I do not think it would have such a huge impact as to completely change the color of their child. Rather it would have a small affect as the multiple genes would sort of produce a blend of colors. It's possible that some mutation may have occurred
ReplyDeleteThis has actually happened but in reverse. Two parents that are black, with no mixed ancestry and had a white, blond, blue eyed baby. No the baby is not an albino. So there are other cases of this
ReplyDeleteIt really all depends on what the odds are that all the genes that control skin pigmentation that would need to be changed in order to produce that pigmentation were either re-activated or mutated by the environment. The odds may be small, but it may, in fact, be possible
ReplyDeleteI loved this! It entertained me so much. I think it could be either. There are other some environmental factors that could also affect skin color, I guess DNA tests are the only way to find out the truth!
ReplyDeleteAlthough there is a possibility that Mrs. Laing simply had an affair, I think it is possible that this could be an example of atavism. Atavism is the tendency of traits reappearing that seemed to have disappeared generations before. Basically, genes that produce darker skin as a phenotype can be preserved in DNA and become expressed due to a mutation causing them to override existing genes. In all, I just think it's interesting that a definite answer has not been found.
ReplyDeleteoh that crazy ..
ReplyDeleteThat's really interesting, i heard about that before in world records lol i just didn't know the actual science behind it.
ReplyDeletewow lol i thought that was impossible but i was wrong, interesting blog!
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