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Nearly 700 Genetic Factors Found To Influence Human Adult Height
damn_registrars writes: A consortium of scientists from many different countries reviewed genome-wide association study data sets of over 250,000 individuals in a search for genetic factors that influence adult height. Looking at Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms, the researchers found 697 distinct genetic markers that can explain some 20 percent of the heritability of human adult height. Previous studies had found around 180 such markers, but the larger sample set increased the ability to detect these changes, both within genes and in non-coding regions. Genes found in this set included ones from pathways not previously connected to skeletal growth.
This study is also significant for the sample size, which allows it to address whether the data from such large sets has a tendency to converge or diverge on genetic pathways; this study particularly favors the latter, which is of great utility toward studying other polygenetic conditions in the future. The original paper is likely paywalled, however the abstract is available for free and some of the collaborators behind it have other bits available for free in the meantime.
This study is also significant for the sample size, which allows it to address whether the data from such large sets has a tendency to converge or diverge on genetic pathways; this study particularly favors the latter, which is of great utility toward studying other polygenetic conditions in the future. The original paper is likely paywalled, however the abstract is available for free and some of the collaborators behind it have other bits available for free in the meantime.
As a lay person, that a study involving 250,000 participants could explain only 20% of height heritability seems like a bad sign with respect to the pace at which we're likely unravel our own genetic code.
The other 80% is explained by eating your vegetables. Thanks mom.
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I look forward to the day when humankind are ruled by our own Almighty Tallest.
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To be brutally honest, it's not surprising that yet another genome-wide association study has failed to explain even half of the heritability of a trait / disease / condition.
There's plenty of literature out there arguing whether these studies are a waste of money or not:
* http://blog.goldenhelix.com/?p...
* http://scienceblogs.com/geneti...
* http://gettinggeneticsdone.blo...
I would have been surprised if this study did find the majority of inherited variability in height.
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I suspect almost every gene will have some sort of effect on height, however small. Development, metabolism, each of the senses and the effect they would have on preferred food, immune system and sickliness, etc.
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The significant thing to note here is that height is important. It wouldn't be studied otherwise. If you want to succeed in politics or upper management or any endeavor in which you are judged by others, you should be tall. Man or woman (but especially men), it makes no difference- you must be tall.
You may be a great scientist or programmer or advertising copywriter, but unless you are tall you won't get credit for your work. It will go to your boss who is tall and doesn't even understand what you do.
Exceptions include Hitler, Napoleon many comedians and malcontents and criminals... You have some in your family, you've seen them on TV. And why do short people act out? Because they feel the pressure that short people feel. They are never accepted, never quite good enough due to their stature. They overcompensate.
When we learn to judge others by their merit, rather than their sometimes obvious 'short'comings, we will prevent many overreactions that lead to crime and worse. Randy Newman was wrong- short people can be just as beneficial to society, just as worthy as tall people.
...omphaloskepsis often...
A human standing upright is made up of a lot of parts stacked upon each other.
If you increase the size of any of the parts, the human's overall height increases.
For each part, there should be at least some individual genes.
From this thought, 700 seems like a pretty low number.
Where are all these tall women? 6ft is about 1.83m! As a >6ft Man, almost all the women (>95%) I meet are under 6ft, the majority are around 5ft, and quite a lot are smaller. So unless you spend all your time hanging around womens basketball teams, I call bs quite frankly.
Yes, humans are getting taller, but I don't think we are at the majority of women being >6ft, or anywhere near it.
For some reason, in the US heightism is an issue. So are looks. All you need to do is watch american media (tv/movies/magazines) vs other countries' media. American personalities need to be above average in looks to be successful. Other countries' personalities, not so much,
Just imagine the outrage if it were half as common for men to state they won't date women with bust size less than X as it is for women to state they won't date men shorter than Y.