Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

How it works Dandruff is a common skin condition characterized by flaking of the skin on the scalp. The genetic link Scientists at 23andMe identified 487 genetic markers that are associated with dandruff. In addition to genetics, other factors like age, sex, and ancestry can also influence your chances of getting dandruff. For example, among…

How it works Scientists don’t know why people have earlobes, but that hasn’t stopped them from trying to understand which factors impact earlobe shape. The genetic link Hopefully everything you learned in science class didn’t go in one ear and out the other. But when it comes to earlobe type, it might be okay if…

How early hair loss works We’re born with five million hair follicles, and about 100,000 to 150,000 of them are on the scalp. As we age, our hair follicles typically shrink in size, produce thinner hairs and eventually stop producing hair altogether. The genetic link The timing and rate of hair follicles becoming thinner or…

How it works While standing upright, the brain uses visual input from nearby objects to make tiny postural adjustments that help maintain balance. However, when standing at a high elevation relative to their surroundings – like at the edge of a tall building – most people feel somewhat off balance. This is because visual input…

How it works We get our eye color from a type of pigment called melanin. Melanin also determines the color of our skin and hair. People who have a lot of a black- or brown-colored type of melanin called eumelanin in the front layers of the iris will probably have darker eyes. Eumelanin is good…

How it works So, what is earwax, anyway? It has nothing to do with candles or the stuff that bees make. Human earwax is a fatty substance produced by glands that are found deep within the ear canal. The genetic link You can thank your ABCC11 gene for your earwax type. This gene contains instructions…

How it works Hair follicles come in different shapes and sizes, affecting hair texture and width. Some people have wider follicles-and therefore, thicker hair strands-than other people. Genetics influence hair thickness, but other factors like hormones and age are important factors, too. The genetic link Scientists think many genes contribute to hair thickness. Research indicates…

How it works While scientists are still researching the many genes that determine hair texture, they believe the shape of our hair follicles creates the texture of our tresses. The curvier the follicle, the curlier the strand. The genetic link 23andMe researchers have identified 75 places in our DNA—also called genetic variants- that influence hair…