Scientists pluck genes at the root of gray hairs, unibrows, bushy beards

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Combing through the hairy genetic data of more than 6,000 people, researchers have teased out ten genes behind various furry features on human heads—unibrows, lush beards, and graying strands alike.

The study, published in Nature Communications, offers the first look at hair heredity beyond balding, color, and curliness. And the results may be useful for forensic analyses, understanding human evolution, as well as for cosmetic purposes.

The study, led by Kaustubh Adhikari at the University College London, plucked hair-feature information and blood samples from 6,630 people in Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Mexico, and Peru. The group had a mix of European, African, and Native American ancestry, providing plenty of genetic variation to untangle. At the blood drawing, the researchers took note of the participants’ hair features, such as eyebrow and beard follicle density, unibrow presence, hair-line shape, and graying. Then they tried to tie those features with genetic patterns from analysis of the blood samples.

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