this post was submitted on 12 May 2025
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Genetics (lemmy.world)
submitted 2 days ago by Stamets@lemmy.world to c/funny@sh.itjust.works
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[–] lemming@sh.itjust.works 15 points 2 days ago

For the record, this is almost certainly a genetic defect of the father, some kind of dominant mutation. Nutrition and other environmental factors most likely didn't play any role in a height difference this big.

There are two copies of each gene. Here, one of the copies got mutated in such a way that it caused the stunted growth of the father. Each sperm contains one randomly selected copy of each gene. Therefore half of the father's sperms contained the mutated gene and the other half the normal version. There was 50% chance the son would be normal height and 50% chance he would be small like his father.

I actually know a family like this. Nothing fishy going on there, the mutation is well described and now new kids with the mutation get growth hormones during their growth to reach normal size.

[–] DickFiasco@lemm.ee 28 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Genetics is, in fact, a science, and it allows for offspring to grow to be bigger than their parents.

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 12 points 2 days ago

Especially if the parent has a condition that stunts their growth.

[–] TrojanRoomCoffeePot@lemmy.world 50 points 2 days ago (1 children)

[–] BleatingZombie@lemmy.world 46 points 2 days ago (1 children)

This is hilarious, but I had a friend when I was really young. He was black and adopted by a white family. He got this joke (or not a joke) all the time and I could see it wear on him

[–] Eyedust@lemmy.dbzer0.com 25 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Not to mention it actually does happen by birth very rarely. Latent genetic traits can pop up generations later.

[–] NotASharkInAManSuit@lemmy.world 19 points 2 days ago (1 children)

I dated someone in high school whose family was all Irish levels of white and their brother looked like he popped straight out of Puerto Rico. He otherwise looked like everyone else in the family, to the point there was no doubt he was a child of both parents. There were a few other people throughout their family with the same deal. When they introduced me to him they said, “This is Collin, he’s not adopted or anything, he just got lucky.”

[–] ricecake@sh.itjust.works 7 points 1 day ago (1 children)

Particularly with Irish people it's more common. Theirs a few genetic pathways to the light skin common in more northern European areas. One of them showed up early in human migrations, and is pretty directly connected to production of the darker skin pigments. Adaptation done, no need for further tweaking to get vitamin D synthesis advantage.
These people tend to have irregular patches of darker melanin regions, hair containing only the lighter variety of melanin, and skin that burns easily because the mutation provides less gradient of melanin production, and more of a "yes or no".
As a result, the path for that gene to be deactivated is also shorter and it's more likely for people to have kids who don't get it nor have many of the genes for the other ways for skin to be lighter.

There aren't a huge number of genes that act like switches like that, so it's very startling for people.

[–] NotASharkInAManSuit@lemmy.world 2 points 1 day ago

Neat! Thanks for sharing, that’s cool to know!

[–] Kennystillalive@feddit.org 71 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Didn't know Genetics was so insecure they would project their own insecurities onto others.

[–] Albbi@lemmy.ca 20 points 2 days ago

You can only do so many paternity tests before you start seeing the world differently.

[–] Saleh@feddit.org 56 points 2 days ago (2 children)

Whatever the political motives/lack of logic behind it, these faces look like they are related by blood.

[–] Tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works 43 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Same nose, same eye-shape, similar chin, and rapidly rushing towards similar hairlines. If these two aren't related, that's a huge coincidence.

Also, childhood malnutrition is a bitch and will absolutely cause something like this.

[–] neidu3@sh.itjust.works 18 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

Yup. There are a million causes for stunted growth that aren't inherited. And these two look the same if you overlook the height and age.

[–] vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 days ago

Also sometimes genes pass down and skip a generation or two. I have the same general build and height of my great grandfather (though I'm more robust) but his own sons look closer to my great grandmother.

[–] rustydrd@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 days ago

Geneticist here. There are a number of factors that go into determining a person's facial features. Genetics, of course, play a huge role. But other things such as ...

[–] Lumiluz@slrpnk.net 31 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Not pictured: the tall Amazonian woman that's his mother.

[–] Macaroni_ninja@lemmy.world 3 points 2 days ago

First I thought its a behind the scenes pic from The Princess Bride

[–] thatradomguy@lemmy.world 5 points 2 days ago

Nobody tell him...

[–] Evil_Shrubbery@lemm.ee 2 points 2 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago)

The dommy mommy of the short king gratified the wall in the background (and yes, I do mean that she is just that tall, and named Laura).