You might have brown hair even if your parents have black hair because of the recessive genes you inherited from your ancestors.
Here's how it works:
- Genes: Everyone inherits two sets of genes for each trait, one from each parent. These genes determine your physical characteristics, including hair color.
- Dominant and Recessive Genes: Some genes are dominant, meaning they'll always be expressed, while others are recessive and only show up if you inherit two copies of the same recessive gene.
- Hair Color Inheritance: Black hair is typically a dominant trait, meaning if you inherit one gene for black hair from either parent, you'll have black hair. Brown hair is usually a recessive trait.
- Grandparents and Beyond: You might have inherited a recessive gene for brown hair from a grandparent, great-grandparent, or even further back in your family tree. If both your parents also carried this recessive gene, there's a chance you inherited two copies, leading to brown hair.
Example:
Let's say your father has one gene for black hair and one for brown hair, and your mother has the same. You could have inherited the brown hair gene from both parents, resulting in brown hair.
It's fascinating how genetics can play a role in determining our traits!
