Stature & proportions in 20: Sports body myths

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.

Multiple genes and environments usually interact; single-gene bedtime stories are rare. Identify the selective or developmental pressure first. Separate measurement (what we can observe) from folk labels. Expect polygenic architecture unless a clear Mendelian case is known. Check whether similar phenotypes evolved more than once.