People born to parents from diverse genetic backgrounds tend to be taller and have sharper thinking skills than others, research suggests. Photo / 123RF
As the world becomes a big cultural melting pot we are getting taller and smarter, suggests new research.
The international study found that those born to parents from diverse genetic backgrounds tend to be taller and have sharper thinking skills than others.
Researchers analysed health and genetic information from more
than 100 studies that included details on more than 350,000 people worldwide.
They found a link between greater genetic diversity and increased height. It was also associated with better cognitive skills, as well as higher levels of education.
University of Edinburgh researchers examined the subjects' genetic make-up and pinpointed instances in which people had inherited identical copies of genes from both their mother and their father - an indicator that their ancestors were related. Where few instances of this occur in a person's genes, it indicates greater genetic diversity in their heritage.
