movement is NOT over and America is still plagued with racist ideology. But what does

運動並沒有結束，而美國仍然被種族理想主義給翻擾著。但科學對於

science say about race? What if science could help us erase racism once and for all?

種族的解釋是怎樣呢？如果科學能夠幫助我們永遠抹去種族主義呢？

Hey everyone! I’m Natalia Reagan back at it again at DNews!

嗨，大家好！我是娜塔莉亞．雷根，歡迎回到DNews！

First of all, it’s time that we start teaching our kids as soon as they can talk (and adults

首先，一旦孩子會開始說話就是我們開始教他們 ( 還有成人，畢竟他們

for that matter!) that there is no biological basis for racial classification! In terms

是最需要被教育的！) 種族分別在生物學基礎上是不存在的！就

of biology, race doesn’t exist. That’s not to say race isn’t real! Though, it’s

生物學來說，種族是不存在的。並不是說種族不是真的！儘管，

important to understand that it’s a cultural construct, that humans created and has nothing

務必要知道這是文化建構的產物，純屬人類創造出來且與

to do with our biology! There are no distinct genetics boundaries for the groups commonly

我們天生生理機制毫無關係！並沒有一個普遍叫做種族的不同基因界線來劃分

called races. Traditionally, scientists have used ‘race’ to refer to a subspecies,

人類群體。傳統上，科學家用「種族」來表示亞種，

and what determines a subspecies from species varies among taxa. But in humans, there are

也是如何決定將亞種從不同的物種中分別出來的詞彙。但人類中，並沒有

no distinct genetics boundaries for the groups commonly called races and we have only .1%

一個普遍叫做種族的不同基因界線來劃分人類群體且相較於猩猩種族內的差異則有0.7％

variation within our species versus chimpanzees which have .7% variation. Now, there IS genetic

我們種族內的差異僅有0.1％。好，雖然的確在人口族群分布間以及內部基因上具有差異

variation within and between populations but it is quite small. And the most amount of

但是其實差異很小。而在我們種族之內所發現的最大的

genetic variation found within our species isn’t between those of European and African

基因差異並非存在是歐洲人和非洲人的

ancestry, it’s between various populations within Africa. This is called the “founder

祖先之間，而是在非洲內部人口分布間的不同。這被稱之為"奠基者

effect” or a “reduced genetic diversity in a population founded by a small number

效應" 或稱為一個 "由於發現一小部分的個體而縮減了整個人口分布內的

of individuals”.

基因多樣性"。

Scientists refer to races as ‘populations’ or ‘ethnic groups’ And many of the physical

科學家把種族稱為「人口分布」 或者 「種族群體」。而許多的身體上

characteristics that are associated with race are due to adaptations to climate and environment.

特徵是由於物種因適應環境和氣候而改變得來的。

This can include skin color, height, nose shape. These slight morphological differences

其中包括膚色、身高、鼻型等。這些為小的外型差異

are called clines- they are genetic adaptations to the environment over time and a geographic

被稱作漸變群 - 這些是指基因上隨著時間和地理環境做出

area. As biological anthropologist Todd Disotell says, ‘it’s about clines not clades!’

的調適和改變。如生物人類學家陶得．狄斯戴爾說的，「這是漸漸改變而不是突然變出分支的結果！」

Meaning that the variations between populations of our species are rather small versus being

也就是說，這些存在我們種族人口分布間的差異相對於

another branch in the ol’ evolutionary family tree.

其他位在演化家族樹上分支的物種間差異要來的小上許多。

There is also the idea that certain races are more susceptible to certain illnesses,

這也是我們如何解釋為什麼某些特定的種族比較容易得某些特定的疾病，

such as heart disease and diabetes in African Americans. However, extensive research has

像是非裔美國人較易罹患心臟疾病或者是糖尿病等。總之，大量的研究

shown that these illnesses are highly correlated with diet, stress, and socioeconomic standing-

顯示疾病與飲食、壓力和社會經濟地位高度相關 -

thus, it’s a lot more complex than just saying certain ‘races’ are more likely

因此，我們想要全部歸因於「種族」導致特定疾病在特定族群中好發

to suffer from certain illnesses than others.

的這種簡單解釋顯然是過度簡化的。

Ok, we’ve established that race as a scientific concept does not exist, so if race doesn’t

好的，我們已建立了關於「種族的科學概念」並不存在的觀念，但是，如果種族不

exist then WHY are people racist? Are we born to be wary of ‘the other’ or is this learned

存在，那為什麼人們會有種族歧視？是不是我們天生就會排除「異己」或者是

behavior? Biological anthropologist Robert Sussman’s tackles the history of racism

後天學習而來的行為呢？生物人類學家羅勃．瑟斯曼在他的書中「種族的奧祕」

and the concept of race in his book “The Myth of Race”. He stresses that racism is

嘗試解釋種族的概念和種族歧視的歷史。他強調種族歧視是

a learned behavior or ideology that can be avoided if parents teach their children to

一種後天習得的行為或一種思想，是可以經由父母教育他們的孩子開放和包容的態度

be open and tolerant. Sussman also discusses the history of racism stating that “concept

而避免產生的。瑟斯曼也在討論關於種族歧視的歷史時提到

of human races began during the Spanish Inquisition (around 1480), when a purity of blood decree

人種的概念始於西班牙宗教審判（約於西元1480年）期間，當純血統的教義

was established and those converting to Christianity (or converses) needed to prove their Christian

建立於基督教在證明自己起源的基礎上時。

origins.” Searching for ‘pure blood’ is a ridiculous idea considering there has

「尋找純正血統」是一個荒謬的思想，因為

never been a point in time when any population could be considered 'pure'. This ideology,

不管在任何時間點上，任何的人口分布內，並不存在所謂的「純正血統」。這思想，

rooted in a racist political and religious agenda, continued on and was used by the Nazis

深植在種族主義政治和宗教的議程當中，持續存在且被納粹主義給利用

to justify their goal to create an “Aryan Race” which led to the murder of 6 million

來正當化他們的目的：創造一個「亞利安種族」，導致了6百萬猶太人遭到謀殺

Jews and millions of others who were deemed inferior- including gypsys, homosexual and

和數以百萬計的其他原本就處於弱勢的人們 - 包括吉普賽人、同性戀族群和

transgender individuals. But what if the Nazi agenda worked? Sure we would probably all

變性人個體等等的死亡。但假如納粹的議程實現了會怎樣？當然我們也許全都

speak German, but we might also have a population of people who are considered ‘purer’ in

只說德文，但我們也將有一個被認為因為更低的基因多樣性造成的更加「純化」

terms of lower genetic diversity. But low genetic diversity is usually the result of

的人口分布。但是低基因多樣性代表

long-term inbreeding. So, we’d have a population of inbreds that would also inherit a slew

長期不可避免的近親交配結果。所以，我們經由近親繁殖而生的人口分布也

of genetic ailments associated with inbreeding. Yeah. How’s that for the not-so-fabulous

將承繼一個基因疾病的高重複再現率。是的。這個不怎麼棒的基因「純化」結果

result of genetic ‘purity’?

你滿意嗎？

And guess what!? Genetic diversity is actually good for us! It leads to robust and healthy

而你知道嗎？基因的多樣性其實對我們人類是有好處的！這樣會讓我們有更健康

offspring, and who doesn’t want that?

更有適應、競爭力的後代，誰不想要阿？

Scientifically speaking, there’s only one race- the human race! We’re all pretty much

就科學上來說，就只有一個種族 - 也就是人種！我們全都差不多

the same. And if you want to know more about what science says about race, ethnicity, and

相同。而你若想要知道更多關於科學上種族、種族特徵和演化的知識，

evolution, check out Trace's series on TestTube Plus.

來看看翠斯在TestTube Plus上的系列影片吧。

It's a great discussion on his new show, so I really recommend you check it out. It's

那是在他新的節目中個很棒的探討單元，所以我真的很推薦你去看看。

the first link in the description if you're on mobile.

如果你使用行動裝置，連結就會是在第一個的位置。

Got any burning questions you wanna ask us or other science topics you want us to cover?

有任何迫不及待要問的問題嗎，或者想要我們探討的其他的科學主題呢？

Leave them in the comments below, and don’t forget to subscribe for more DNews every day

把它們寫在下面的討論區裡，且不忘了訂閱DNews來看更多的

of the week.

影片喔。