Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., July 02, 2009 Tamuz 10, 5769 | | Israel Time: 12:00 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Focus U.S.A. Travel Week's End Anglo File
Share |
Last update - 11:36 27/04/2009
Do genetic disorders actually make Ashkenazic Jews smarter?
By Haaretz Service
Tags: israel news, jewish world 

Genetic diseases prevalent among Ashkenazic Jews (of European descent) may actually be tied to a higher intellience quotient, according to two American professors.

Anthropology researches Gregory Cochran and Henry Harpending argue that neurological disorders such as Tay-Sachs and Canavan disease have made Jews smarter, due to what is known as heterozygote advantage.

The condition of having one copy of a mutated gene can present a health benefit, they say, whereas having two can be deadly.
Advertisement
The controversial theory was first presented in professors their book," The 10,000 Year Explosion", released in February.

The Baltimore Sun quotes the professors as citing sickle cell anemia, common amongst people of African descent, where two mutated hemoglobin B genes distort red blood cells until they cannot carry oxygen to internal organs.

On the other hand, people of African descent who have only one mutated hemoglobin B gene develop a resistance to malaria.

Under Cochran and Harpending's theory, natural selection would favor those Jews who only formed the single mutated gene, which has the potential to lead to greater brain power, according to a recent article in the Baltimore Sun.

The theory could stir uncomfortable memories of race-based theories of intelligence, and some researchers have said it fails to take into account social and cultural factors that may affect how intelligence is gauged in different ethnic groups
PROMOTION: Mamilla Hotel
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Photoshop republic
Blogger posts photo of pro-regime rally which appears to have been doctored.
Dead Sea, candidate
PA backtracks and supports Dead Sea in '7 natural wonders' contest.
  1.   Are autistic savants smarter than . . . 12:29  |  Zev Davis 27/04/09
  2.   genetic disorders make ashkenaic smarter 14:33  |  shmeel 27/04/09
  3.   Apparently not: see "Mexican flu" article above 15:43  |  Jack 27/04/09
  4.   Nature / Nurture 17:16  |  Matthew Houston 27/04/09
  5.   Is this a surprise? 17:49  |  Z 27/04/09
  6.   No way! 18:07  |  MIKE 27/04/09
  7.   No. Education does. Start at age 18 months old. 18:38  |  Lou Medel 27/04/09
  8.   YES! 18:50  |  ahskenazi 27/04/09
  9.   Did someone say "Übermensch"? 19:22  |  EVH 27/04/09
  10.   good reason to reject this theory 19:50  |  pseudoscientist 27/04/09
  11.   Don`t worry, our food is still better! 21:18  |  Sephardic 27/04/09
  12.   Mmm Gary Cochrane, eh! 01:37  |  Rod 28/04/09
  13.   Sephardim are smarter 03:11  |  Joe Ashkenazi 28/04/09
  14.   how do we know 03:12  |  ashkenazi 28/04/09
  15.   Ashkenazi Jews Are Mixed With Chinese... 07:49  |  Yosemite 28/04/09
  16.   Ashkenazic Diaorders 10:08  |  The Teacher/Instruct 28/04/09
  17.   if we are so smart,how come 14:09  |  sweis 30/04/09
  18.   Heterozygotes 20:33  |  Henry 30/04/09
  19.   the sephardic chief of israel are the real idiots 20:39  |  joe 30/04/09
  20.   To Teacher/Instruct -- What a stupid comment! 20:59  |  Josh 30/04/09
  21.   I think we have the disorder of thinking to much of ourselves 23:20  |  Israeli 30/04/09
  22.   # 17 Sweis 00:34  |  Ashkenazi 01/05/09
  23.   Racism between the Jewish people 07:06  |  Jorge 01/05/09
  24.   Josh 07:39  |  Pnina 01/05/09
  25.   genetic disorders 08:42  |  frenchreader 01/05/09
  26.   Bad Science 14:43  |  David 01/05/09
  27.   The Golden Age of Sepharad 20:24  |  David 02/05/09
  28.   David, if you don`t understand it, it is obviously . . . 23:12  |  Zev Davis 02/05/09
  29.   but not lucky 00:48  |  Schtarker Yid 03/05/09
  30.   Joe, stop trashing rabbis! 10:31  |  Zev Davis 03/05/09
  31.   This is my problem 23:01  |  Boris 03/05/09
  32.   Intelligence of ashkenzies 18:58  |  Abraham Paz 04/05/09
  33.   Read "The Bell Curve" 16:42  |  Ofer 11/05/09
  34.   Had Germans conducted this study... 01:41  |  Zim 12/05/09
  35.   Genetic possibilities 06:50  |  JW 14/05/09
Special Offers
Advertisement
hotel Jerusalem
David Citadel Hotel, come stay at the finest of Jerusalem hotels.
ISRAEL ARMY SURPLUS STORE
IDF insignia,Uniforms, Paladium Boots Watches, Israel Army T-shirts & Collectibles
Dead Sea Skin Care
Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
More Headlines
11:18 FBI: Saddam told us he lied about having nukes to deter Iran
09:29 'U.S. can't get Arabs to commit to normal Israel ties'
10:03 Amnesty: Israel, Hamas committed war crimes during Gaza fighting
11:54 EU states may recall Iran envoys after U.K. embassy arrests
09:35 Court: Israel can withhold passport from IDF draft-dodger
03:35 IDF chief rabbi says women shouldn't serve
10:19 New Immigration Police rounds up 300 refugees, illegal workers
20:58 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
09:25 ANALYSIS / Loud-mouthed rabbi reflects IDF's religious bent
10:47 Ramat Gan man lives after erroneously pronounced dead
04:44 Is a crushed Israel in America's best interest?
05:36 Last remaining U.S. Jewish Republican Senator loses seat
09:25 'Fake' Israeli painting fetches twice the original's value
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |
| Israel 2009 election results | Makom: Engaging on Israel
| Search engine marketing
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved