The reason why all blue-eyed people share the same ancestor - and how the colour spread

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Blue eyes have captivated us for centuries. Icons like Frank Sinatra and celebs including Megan Fox and Cillian Murphy boast the eye colour - but where did this sought-after trait come from?Pioneering genetics research by Dr Hans Eiberg and his colleagues at the University of Copenhagen has traced blue-eyed individuals to one ancestor about 10,000 years ago near the Black Sea, unveiling the mutation that causes blue eyes and thus deepening our understanding of human history.Eye colour hinges on melanin levels in the iris - brown being most common due to high melanin, while hues like blue and green are due to less melanin, reports the Express.Dr Eiberg's work identified a key alteration in the OCA2 gene - which manages melanin production - that doesn't make blue eyes per se but limits melanin in the iris."Originally, we all had brown eyes," stated Dr Eiberg in his 2008 publication. "A genetic mutation affecting the OCA2 gene in our chromosomes resulted in the creation of a 'switch' that literally turned off the ability to produce brown eyes." The recent study has unveiled a remarkable genetic link shared by people with blue eyes.

Astonishingly, over 99.5 per cent of blue-eyed participants in the study have the same tiny mutation, indicating it most likely originated from a single individual.This trait has been passed down through generations, resulting in the wide spectrum of blue-eyed individuals seen today.Researchers pin this genetic mutation to the area around the northwest of the Black Sea, covering parts of what is now Ukraine, Russia, Georgia, Turkey, Romania, and Bulgaria.

It's believed that the mutation spread during the time agriculture was expanding from the Middle East into Europe, a period marked by rapid