First Europeans Were Not White

Our story begins with our early human ancestors, who likely had darker skin due to the intense sun exposure of Africa.

As some of these populations ventured out and migrated to Europe, they encountered a new environment, one with less ultraviolet radiation.

This shift in the sun’s exposure sets the stage for an intriguing evolutionary question: When did light skin appear in humans?

In today's video we look at if the first European were white.

Subscribe for Origins Explained, Prehistoric Planet, and Evolution. Inspired by PBS Eons, Stefan Milo, Evo-Ed and Highly Compelling.

Inspired by Origins of the First Europeans - ROBERT SEPEHR, When Did Light Skin Appear in Modern Humans?, Evo-Ed: History, Genetics, and Human Skin Color

Check out our sources:

[whitingsandwich]

But here is the thing, Africa wasn't a desert back then, it was mostly forest, thick forest. Same with the middlle east.

[InvaliDidea]

We're still the same original peoples, in the old world, our skin just got lighter since the end of last ice age.

[garywhitt]

Apparently, my ancestors came from a mushroom cave in the north of Shetland.

[corilia]

Ok less sun means lighter skin but whst about the difference in hair texture?

[randynelson]

The first Europeans were Neanderthals. .

[TooilldaIRS]

I was dark working outside in construction.. now im white as a ghost working a warehouse job and working graveyard.. and im mexican af 😂

[michaeltunnicliff]

Our nearest DNA relative is the chimpanzee which are pale skinned. Almost certainly we evolved dark skin as we lost our fur which would explain why dark skinned people have pale soles and palms. (It's difficult to think of a evolutionary advantage of a dark skinned person evolving pale soles and palms) As we migrated north the protection from the sun became less important so we lost the dark skin.

[Triz-cj]

This isn't a history video - it's far too ideological for that!

[ytalchemy]

This video needs to credit the groundbreaking work of Dr. Nina Jablonski.

[alimazimmer]

THe ice age/Glaciation also shut off populations.

[Herosennin]

Random but Europeans were black just like everybody else till the 'white skin gene' developed in South-West Siberia, which were ultimately the Indo-Europeans arriving in about 9000 bce. They were followed by West-Asian farmers in 7000 bce who probably already intermixed in the caucasus area(hence the old nominator caucasian) and absorbed the original inhabitants of Europe.

We also found out this year that the inhabitants of Doggerland which connected North Europe, were black aboriginals with blue eyes and at times blonde hair as well.

[davidstevenson]

The young Arctic woman (5:20), photographed outside her teepee is wearing a robe with a fur of unusual beauty. I'm sure this young ladys attire is the envy off every non-Arctic woman that watches this.
(Liberace would just HAVE to have it in his wardrobe!)

[Noosa]

A study has shown lighter skin happened around 8, 400 years ago and took around 200 years to complete. You can google this info to get the correct story.

[Spardeous]

It's worth remembering when people talk about how race is some anthropological artifact that they devised an AI a few years back that could accurately determine race merely by looking at x-ray bone scans.

[so]

Early Europeans were similar in appearance to their African ancestors as their skin complexion did not lighten until they migrated to Europe from the African continent through the Arabian Peninsula.

[andrewr]

Ridiculous title. They may have had dark skin but race is so much more than skin color. And when people talk about "white people" they're not actually talking about skin color at all

[jamesshea]

James Bond should be notified, Goldfinger strikes again!

[williamsifton]

Evolution. we come from the first human female. We evolved into the muti ethnic culture we are today! Not BELIFISM

[theexistenshield]

how did Caucasian, Asian, etc. muscle-skeletal face structures came to be? by the logic of this video, Europeans and Asians should look like African albinos

[JTKAMI]

Why is modern man always white and ancient man brown with melanin?