A lot of it has to do with how people physically adapted to their environment. If you've studied animal adaptation, this might sound a little familiar. For example, skin color is largely a function of the intensity of the sunlight in a region where a group of people live, darker skin being more prominent closer to the equator because the increased sunlight causes skin damage. Lighter colors are more common in higher latitudes because of the lack of sunlight necessary to synthesize vitamin D. Other factors, such as the presence of certain predators, plants, diseases, or parasites in the area may favor greater athletic ability, certain blood disorders, differences in sensory perception, etc. Those without those traits in that particular area likely died out or otherwise failed to reproduce. |
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