Naked Science Forum

Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: Titanscape on 10/10/2011 12:47:10

Title: Plague in Scotland and Reduced Average Life Expectancy?
Post by: Titanscape on 10/10/2011 12:47:10

Hi, I roughly recall hearing about a plague that went through Scotland and that after this, the average life expectancy went down, so Scots only live on average to 65 years old. Is this true? And does it effect the much Scot colonized New Zealand stock?

Title: Plague in Scotland and Reduced Average Life Expectancy?
Post by: RD on 10/10/2011 15:47:52

Quote from: Titanscape on 10/10/2011 12:47:10

Scots only live on average to 65 years old ... does it effect the much Scot colonized New Zealand stock?

That depends on whether deep-fried mars bars (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep-fried_Mars_bar) are available in NZ  [:)]

But seriously there are various hypotheses for the Glasgow effect (http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00xpkw5), one being a higher level of disease genes has been caused by centuries of emigration (http://www.ltscotland.org.uk/higherscottishhistory/migrationandempire/migrationofscots/emigrationandsociety.asp) creaming off the healthy genes (to places like NZ).