Or will blondes die out? Professor Jonathan Rees (who previously proved that redheads are sexier) claims that the blonde gene will become less common but never completely disappear, as it does not carry any disadvantage. (Except in jokes, that is.) (via FmH)
I once read that blond hair was a sign of youth and health (like a peacock tail, it costs more to maintain in good form and is thus more meaningful as an advertisement), and thus breeding potential, which led to the whole "blond(e)s are more attractive" idea.
Though that's all subjective. I'm personally one of those freaks who can't see what anybody sees in Pamela Anderson or Britney Spears, so I can't really talk.
Apparently, it's a hoax:
http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/front/RTGAM/20021002/wblond1002/Front/homeBN/breakingnews
Or at least a semi-hoax. The WHO didn't conduct the study (as is claimed in the original article picked up by the BBC and other media) and don't know anything about this Jonathan Rees character. Hm.
Jonathan Rees appeared in the news before, having conducted a study showing that red hair is common in Scotland partly because of a genetic bias towards finding redheads sexually attractive. If it's a hoax, then it's one well planned in advance.
Sorry, I actually didn't read the Jonathan Rees part properly. You're quite right; he checks out.
Sounds like a scam to me. Doing a study of why there are so many redheads in Scotland and finding it is because there is a genetic bias to find them attractive seems logically flawed, if the numbers of red-heads are as large as they are in the north.
It's all a big scam. Everyone knows redheads are brainier and more attractive, it's not genetics, just common sense. Just ask Shauny.
Ever heard of something called the "green beard gene"?
I doubt blonde genes survive purely because they are "more attractive"; I think it's got more to do with blone people coming from certain cultures that were, until recently, fairly geographically destinct and isolated (ie. Scandanavia). There wasn't as much breeding with brown-haired people, so double-recessives were more common. Now we're a bit more globalised, blondes breed with browns, and browns carrying a recessive blonde gene breed with browns, but like all recessive genes it IS impossible to totally destroy.