Blue-eyes have a single, common ancestor

Prof. Eiberg, ScienceDaily, 2008; Amber Larson, Seth Auberon (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

ALL blue-eyed people have a common ancestor?

Research shows that people with blue eyes have a single, common ancestor.

A team at the University of Copenhagen has tracked down a genetic mutation that took place 6,000-10,000 years ago [founder] and is the cause of the eye color of all blue-eyed humans alive on the planet today.

What is the genetic mutation?

The historical Buddha had blue eyes.

"Originally, we all had brown eyes," said Professor Hans Eiberg from the Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

"But a genetic mutation affecting the OCA2 gene in our chromosomes resulted in the creation of a 'switch,' which literally 'turned off' the ability to produce brown eyes."

• In fact, ALL human eyes are brown and only appear to be other colors by the way they scatter light, including "blue" eyes

The OCA2 gene codes for the so-called P protein, which is involved in the production of melanin, the pigment that gives color to our hair, eyes, and skin.

Eye colors map of Europe (Frost/Wiki)

The "switch," which is located in the gene adjacent to OCA2 does not, however, turn off the gene entirely, but rather limits its action to reducing the production of melanin in the iris -- effectively "diluting" brown eyes to blue.

The switch's effect on OCA2 is therefore very specific. If the OCA2 gene had been completely destroyed or turned off, human beings would be without melanin in their hair, eyes, or skin color [and all racial divisions would have to depend on something else] -- a condition known as albinism.

Limited genetic variation

Viking Age Buddha: Helgo Treasure

Variation in the color of the eyes from brown to green can all be explained by the amount of melanin in the iris, but blue-eyed individuals only have a small degree of variation in the amount of melanin in their eyes.

"From this we can conclude that all blue-eyed individuals are linked to the same ancestor," says Professor Eiberg. "They have all inherited the same switch at exactly the same spot in their DNA."

Brown-eyed individuals, by contrast, have considerable individual variation in the area of their DNA that controls melanin production.

Professor Eiberg and his team examined mitochondrial DNA and compared the eye color of blue-eyed individuals in countries as diverse as Jordan, Denmark, and Turkey. His findings are the latest in a decade of genetic research, which began in 1996, when Professor Eiberg first implicated the OCA2 gene as being responsible for eye color.

Nature shuffles our genes

Does that sort of make us incestuous relatives?

The mutation of brown eyes to blue represents neither a positive nor a negative mutation.

It is one of several mutations such as hair color, baldness, freckles, and beauty spots, which neither increases nor reduces a human's chance of survival. [Since by "survival" is meant the fitness to send one's genes into the future, these things do impact it.]

What about one of each? Heterochromia Iridis

As Professor Eiberg says, "it simply shows that nature is constantly shuffling the human genome, creating a genetic cocktail of human chromosomes and trying out different changes as it does so." More

• Blue eye color in humans may be caused by a perfectly associated founder mutation in a regulatory element located within the HERC2 gene inhibiting OCA2 expression | Human Genetics (springer.com)
• Mummified feces reveals pre-Columbian cultures of the Caribbean consumed a diversity of plants [no cannibalism]

Mystery of Vikings solved: DNA study

Past Chronicles via MSN.com, 8/24/23; Amber Larson (ed.), Wisdom Quarterly

Viking propaganda. It wasn't like this.

The mystery behind Vikings: Groundbreaking DNA sequencing study shows they weren’t who we thought they were.

We all grew up watching several interpretations of Vikings in various forms of popular mass media, where one common thread binds them: their ferocity.

People think of them as bloodthirsty warriors whose main occupation was pillaging and plundering.

Hey, what's that guy doing here? - No, he's right.

They were mainly tall, red-bearded, heavy-set, fair-skinned, and blue-eyed, with long blonde tresses billowing in the air. Our ears almost ring with their battle cries and clanging metals for their fights ahead; they were intense, and we’ve pictured them that way for ages.

Turns out, we were all wrong. In 2020, a DNA sequencing study debunked some of those theories. More

"No doubt" - ELVES are real in Iceland (video)

AFP via scmp.com; theelfschool.com; Dhr. Seven, Pat Macpherson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Since the beginning of time, elves have been the stuff of legend in Iceland, but locals here will earnestly tell you that elves appear regularly to those who know how to see them.

 

Construction sites have been moved so as not to disturb the elves, and fishermen have refused to put out to sea because of their warnings: here in Iceland, these creatures are a part of everyday life. But, honestly, do they really exist?

• Kumbhandas are "elves" in Buddhist cosmology

Anthropologist Magnus Skarphedinsson

Anthropologist Magnus Skarphedinsson has spent decades collecting witness accounts, and he’s convinced the answer is yes.
 

He now passes on his knowledge to curious crowds as the headmaster of Reykjavik’s Elf School.

 

“There is no doubt that they exist!” exclaims the stout 60-year-old as he addresses his “students,” for the most part tourists fascinated by Icelanders’ belief in elves.

  

What is an elf?

Time is not the same in parallel worlds. Man dances with fairies for an hour, but in human time he was in the fairy ring for two weeks, in a strange case reported in Welsh folklore (T. H. Thomas, Plucked from the Fairy Circle).

.

Our language comes from hidden people.

What exactly is an elf? A well-intentioned being, smaller than a person, who lives outdoors and normally does not talk. They are not to be confused with Iceland’s “hidden people,” who resemble humans and almost all of whom speak Icelandic.

 

To convince skeptics that this is not just a myth, Skarphedinsson relays two “witness accounts,” spinning the tales as an accomplished storyteller.

The first tells of a woman who knew a fisherman who was able to see elves who would also go out to sea to fish.

 

"Hidden People" speaking Icelandic: devas?

One morning in February 1921, he noticed they were not heading out to sea, and he tried to convince the other fishermen not to go out either. But the boss would not let them stay on shore.

 

That day, there was an unusually violent storm in the North Atlantic. But the fishermen, who had heeded his warning and stayed closed to shore, all returned home safe and sound.

 

Seven years later, in June 1928, the elves again did not put out to sea which was confusing because there had never been a fierce storm at sea at that time of year. Forced to head out, they sailed waters that were calm but caught very few fish.

“The elves knew it,” the anthropologist claims.

 

The other “witness” is a woman in her eighties, who in 2002 ran into a young teen who claimed to know her. Asking him where they had met, he gave her an address where she had lived 53 years ago where her daughter claimed she had played with an invisible boy.

 

“But, Mum, it’s Maggi!” exclaimed the daughter when her mother described the teen.

 

“He had aged fives times slower than a human being,” said Skarphedinsson.

 

Surveys suggest about half of Icelanders believe in elves.

“Most people say they heard [about them] from their grandparents when they were children,” said Michael Herdon, a 29-year-old American tourist attending Elf School.

 

Iceland Magazine says ethnologists have noted it is rare for an Icelander to really truly believe in elves. But getting them to admit it is tricky. ... More

Iceland's peaceful revolution CENSORED (video)

Amber Larson, Ashley Wells, Wisdom Quarterly; Abby Martin (RT.com)

 

Abby Martin talks with economist and editor Steinar Bjornsson of "News of Iceland" about Iceland's peaceful revolution about how the people of the island-nation in the Atlantic changed the system through non-violent dissent.

All about Iceland

(IcelandAir) Thora Karitas hosts an entertaining and informative documentary about Iceland -- the capital Reykjavik, its surrounding countryside, and its natural wonders. This island country between Greenland and Ireland is different from all other countries. Visiting is an experience that combines luxury and natural wonders, extreme forces and, of course, a lot of modernity.

• IMF: Iceland was right; we were wrong
• World Bank: "Dollar valueless, about to crash"
• Allicelandic.com for Scandinavian fashion

Shocking Headlines (C2C)

• The planet that shouldn't exist (Daily Mail) Bizarre world orbiting its star from a staggering distance leaves astronomers baffled.
• Air Force's new stealth spy drone is already flying (NBC News) A secret unmanned reconnaissance aircraft built by Northrop Grumman for the U.S. military has already begun test flights and could be ready for prime-time duty by 2015.
• Financial astrology: can stars affect stocks? (Telegraph) Astrologers believe the position of the planets can make a share price plummet. Why do traders trust them?
  
• Ear-piercing sounds harvested for energy (Discovery News) Researchers have found a way to convert the incredible roar of the jet engine, which revs at more than 130 decibels, into electrical energy.
• Someone's been siphoning data via Net's huge security hole (Wired) Two security researchers at the DefCon hacker conference demonstrated a massive security vulnerability in the worldwide internet traffic-routing system.
• Mystery "alien-like creature" seen in Bristol harbor  (Telegraph) Remarkable video of glowing submerged creature creates stir online.
• Who believes in Bigfoot? (Pacific Standard) An outsider looks at the world of Bigfoot research.
• The Hazards of Psychic Backlash (Mysterious Universe) Nick Redfern details how eerie bad luck can sometimes afflict seekers of the paranormal. 
• Why Do Some Falsely Claim to Be Victims? (Discovery News) Ben Radford examines what may motivate people to hoax being the victim of a crime. 
• Kansas Salt Safari Unveils Glittering Underground World (LiveScience) New museum attraction takes visitors on a three-hour journey into a breathtaking underworld. 
• Chinese State Media Brags of Plan to Establish "Death Star" Moon Base (InfoWars.com) China's burgeoning space program alleged to be aimed at weaponizing the moon.
• 2 million Facebook, Gmail, and Twitter passwords stolen in massive hack (CNN) Cybersecurity firm blames viruses equipped with keylogging software for latest breach of Internet security.

Epigenetics: Controlling our Health (video)

(NOVA) Once nurture seemed clearly distinct from nature. Now it appears that our diets[, environmental toxins,] and lifestyles can change the expression of our genes. How? By influencing a network of chemical switches within our cells collectively known as the epigenome.

This new understanding may lead us to potent new medical therapies [and manipulated genetic disasters, particularly in the realm of modified foods and deadly pesticides that kill off bees, frogs, and most of us]. Epigenetic cancer therapy, for one, already seems to be yielding promising results.

(LINK) Dr. Joseph Mercola.com interviews Dr. Bruce Lipton, who explains how the New Biology will take us from a world of crisis and illness management to health and self-control.

Epi-genetics means above-genetics. What is beyond, what controls, what gives expression to our genetic codes? (The mind, our beliefs, and external factors do). Genes do not express themselves. They have to be turned on and off, and that is usually not a genetic function or even a necessity. It is environmental interaction, a response.

• Epi-genetics is the study of heritable changes in gene expression or cellular phenotype caused by mechanisms other than changes in the DNA sequence itself. The word is composed of the root -genetics modified by epi- (Greek for "over, above, or outer"). It refers to relevant modifications to the genome that do not involve a change in the genes or nucleotide sequence.

The practical upshot of this, according to Dr. Bruce Lipton and others, is that we control our gene expression and we are not controlled by our genes. Biology is NOT destiny after all.

• Uncovering the biology of belief
  

Iceland: Buddhism, economy, gay PM, genes

Orange to Soothe the Reykjavik Streets 1/25/09

A new protest movement has been started in Iceland, MBL.is reports: the Orange Protesters. A statement from the group says that Orange is a peaceful group of protesters, made up of people opposed to the violence of the last few days.

An Orange representative met with a police representative on Thursday to explain that protesters wearing orange clothes will be peaceful and oppose violence. Orange clothes will be the equivalent of a white flag to mark out peaceful protesters, the movement says. More>>

Reykjavik Riots: tear gas from police point of view 1/22/09 [comments (24)]

Seven police officers were injured when the protests got out-of-hand for the second day in a row, according to a press release from the Reykjavik police. Just like on Tuesday, stones and glass bottles were used to attack officers yesterday as well, they say. More>>

Iceland's #1 export, fairy-musician Bjork, in forest and on magazine

• Iceland crumbling under recession

Iceland to appoint openly gay interim PM

REYKJAVIK, Iceland – The woman expected to become Iceland's interim prime minister is an openly gay former flight attendant who rose through the political ranks to lead a new leftist government.

Johanna Sigurdardottir, the island nation's 66-year-old social affairs minister, began as an union organizer for flight attendants and is now among the country's longest-serving lawmakers.

Both political parties forming Iceland's new coalition government support her appointment — and a decision could be announced as early as Thursday. More>>

Icelandic Religious Landscape

(wikipedia)

Buddhism
There are Buddhist Web sites based in Iceland such as Karuna from the Tibetan splinter group, the New Kadampa Tradition. Construction of a Theravada Thai temple is also underway. Óskar Ingólfsson is a contact person for Zen in Iceland. There is also an Icelandic Buddhist Association with a few hundred members. In addition, Rev. José M. Tirado, a Jodo Shinshu priest, poet, and activist with an extensive background in Zen, Vajrayana, and Fourth Way studies, has taught an eclectic blend in a meditation-based counseling program several times in Iceland.

Only 11% of Icelanders "don't believe in any sort of spirit, God, or life force," according to a 2004 Eurobarometer study entitled "Social Values, Science, and Technology" [Ref]. This is lower than Norway or the United Kingdom, while expressed belief in God was about the same in Iceland as in the UK and higher than in most of the Scandinavian countries. The plurality (and near majority) of Icelanders express a belief in a "spirit or life force" rather than in "God" or a generalized disbelief.

Religion in Iceland was initially Norse Paganism, which was commonly believed by Vikings (from 874 to 1000 A.D.). Later, the nation became half-Christian and then more fully Christian. This increasing Christianization culminated in the Pietism period when non-Christian entertainments were discouraged. At present, the population is overwhelmingly, if nominally, Lutheran. However, Baptist, Catholic, Jehovah's Witness, Mormon, Muslim, and other faiths exist.

Iceland Buddhist Association wants to build temple
Buddhist Channel from the Iceland Review, 2/4/07

Reykjavík, Iceland -- Buddhists in Iceland have submitted a request to Minister of Justice and Ecclesiastical Affairs, Björn Bjarnason, for a lot near Reykjavík to build a Buddhist temple.

The lot they want is near Vífilsstadir, an old farm and tuberculosis asylum in the Reykjavík suburb of Gardabaer, Fréttabladid reports. According to Páll Júlíusson, the former chairman of the Thai-Icelandic Association, a Thai millionaire has promised to finance the construction of a Buddhist temple in Iceland.

The lot currently belongs to the Icelandic state. Bjarnason wrote in a letter to Gardabaer mayor Gunnar Einarsson that Júlíusson suggested Bjarnason hand over the lot on behalf of the government to Gardabaer, which would then hand it over to the Buddhist Association.

It is reported Júlíusson has also approached Einarsson with this matter. Bjarnason wrote in the letter to Einarsson that he would like to hear his opinion about handing over the lot before taking any actions.

Iceland's Genetic Fingerprint

Times of India (1/17/09)

"Largest genetic snapshot of Iceland"

WASHINGTON: A team of scientists has presented the largest-to-date genetic snapshot of Iceland as it was about 1,000 years ago. The scientists, from deCODE genetics, completed the largest study of ancient DNA from a single population ever undertaken.

Analyzing mitochondrial DNA, which is passed from mother to offspring, from 68 skeletal remains, the study provides a detailed look at how a contemporary population differs from that of its ancestors. The results confirm previous deCODE work that used genetics to test the history of Iceland as recorded in the sagas.

These studies demonstrated that the country seems to have been settled by men from Scandinavia -- the Vikings -- but that the majority of the original female inhabitants were from the coastal regions of Scotland and Ireland, areas that regularly suffered raids by Vikings in the years around the settlement of Iceland 1,100 years ago.

The current study further shows that the gene pool of contemporary Icelanders appears to have evolved rapidly over the intervening thousand years.

As a result, the original female settlers are genetically less closely related to present-day Icelanders, and instead more closely related to the present day populations of Scotland, Ireland, and Scandinavia, as well as those of north-western and south-western Europe.

This is a demonstration of a phenomenon known as "genetic drift." In essence, in any population, certain individuals will have more offspring and, by chance and in this case over the course of 35 generations, many more descendants than others.

As a result, particularly in a small population, the genetic variety of the original population can decrease and change over time. In this study, only mitochondrial DNA was studied, but the same phenomenon applies to the Y chromosome, which is passed from fathers to sons, and to any other part of the genome.

"This study is a major contribution to the use of ancient DNA studies in tracing the history not just of single populations, but of our species and how we spread from Africa to every corner of the globe," said Kari Stefansson, CEO of deCODE.