Stature & proportions in 20: Bergmann

Readers get the mechanism, the map-like pattern (clines and patches), and the misconceptions that turn traits into racial folklore. Nothing on this page ranks intelligence, worth or civilization by group. Does Stature & proportions prove biological races? No. Traits can vary by place without slicing humanity into ranked subspecies.

Because curiosity about bodies is valid — and unanswered curiosity is where race myths recruit. Only to explain mechanisms or public health. Averages never become league tables of worth. No. Clinical decisions need clinicians, not atlas pages. By preferring review-level consensus and labeling open debates.

A gradual change in trait frequency across geography, rather than a sharp racial border. Yes — dairying and malaria are classic feedback loops. See related diversity topics and the atlas page on genetic-distance myths. The trait responds to concrete pressures: light, air, pathogens, diet or demographic history.