The first modern humans evolved dark skin as an adaptation to high ultraviolet radiation
the verdict
SUPPORTED
the evidence backs this
confidence 92/100
Current anthropological and genetic evidence clearly supports the conclusion that early modern humans evolved dark skin pigmentation as a natural selection adaptation to protect against high ultraviolet radiation levels near the tropics.
Evidence for · 2
Human skin pigmentation as an adaptation to UV radiation
2010 · cited by 574
Jablonski (2010) explains that dark, eumelanin-rich skin pigmentation evolved near the equator as a photoprotective adaptation driven by high ultraviolet radiation to protect folate.
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More for · 1
The genetic architecture of human skin pigmentation: evolution and adaptation across global populations
2026 · cited by 0
The review by the authors (2026) reinforces that human skin pigmentation is a dynamic, highly adaptive trait whose global diversity is fundamentally driven by variation in ultraviolet radiation.