[thedoc (OP)]

Devan Norris  asked the Naked Scientists:
   
Dear Naked Scientists

I have a question about changes to human hair. I am 37 years old, and have now more than a few silver strands in among the blond ones. Why is it that the texture of the hair changes as well as the color? And why do the grey ones all appear to be short--rather than changing color mid-growth?

One more: my mother swears that before she was pregnant with me, her hair was pin-straight. Since that time her hair has been wavy in exactly the same way mine is. On a recent broadcast you talked about determining an unborn child's DNA from the mother's blood. Is it possible that the child's DNA can cause changes to the mother's?

Thanks so much, I love the show!

Devan Norris
Spruce Creek, Florida

What do you think?