Changes for page The Existence of Race

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62	62	* Muscle and Athletics: There are well-known racial patterns in athletic performance that align with genetic ancestry. East African runners (particularly the Kalenjin tribe of Kenya and related groups in highland Kenya/Ethiopia) dominate world long-distance running, whereas West African-descended athletes excel in sprinting and explosive track events. For example, about 40% of top world-class middle- and long-distance runners have come from the Kalenjin (a Nilotic people who comprise only \10% of Kenya’s population).{{footnote}} https://www.amren.com/archives/back-issues/october-1999/#:~:text=ancestors%20have%20been%20tending%20cattle,from%20just%20this%20one%20tribe{{/footnote}} Their success is often attributed to a mix of genetic, physiological, and cultural factors – including slim body morphology, high-altitude training environment, and perhaps evolutionary history of endurance activities.{{footnote}} https://www.amren.com/archives/back-issues/october-1999/#:~:text=ancestors%20have%20been%20tending%20cattle,from%20just%20this%20one%20tribe{{/footnote}} In sprinting, virtually all Olympic 100m finalists for decades have been of West African descent, reflecting genetic predispositions for muscle fiber type and anaerobic power. While social factors play a role in sports, these patterns strongly suggest underlying biological differences in musculature and physiology between populations. Indeed, even within Africa, the contrast of body types is evident: “Elongated” Nilotic Africans (e.g. Kalenjin, Dinka) are exceptionally tall and tend toward endurance, whereas many West African groups have comparatively more musculature and power suited to sprinting and jumping. Such differences illustrate how human populations have specialized via evolution.
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64		-* Growth and Development: Racial groups differ in rates of growth and maturation. On average, African-descended infants and children develop faster on some motor and physical milestones than European-descended ones. For example, black babies in the U.S. are often born slightly earlier (shorter gestation) and at slightly lower birth weights than white babies, yet they mature more rapidly postnatally./foot Studies (and anecdotal observations) have found that black infants tend to hold their heads up, sit, crawl, and walk a bit earlier than white infants of the same age – a pattern also reported in some African populations. One extreme case is the Efe pygmies, among whom babies have been observed to walk as early as 6 months, roughly twice as fast as the typical European infant timeline (12 months). Black children also enter puberty earlier, on average, than whites: in the U.S., African-American girls begin breast development and menstruation about 1–2 years earlier than European-American girls, and similarly boys show earlier genital development. By around age 12, many black youths are biologically more mature (in bone growth and muscle mass) than their white peers. East Asians, in contrast, tend to be slightly later in maturation than Europeans (on average), continuing the pattern of an observed gradient: fast development at one end (Africans) and slowest at the other (East Asians), with Europeans intermediate – a pattern noted by J.P. Rushton and others as part of broader life-history differences. These developmental timing differences have practical implications (for instance, in youth athletics or education) and likely genetic underpinnings.
	64	+* Growth and Development: Racial groups differ in rates of growth and maturation. On average, African-descended infants and children develop faster on some motor and physical milestones than European-descended ones. For example, black babies in the U.S. are often born slightly earlier (shorter gestation) and at slightly lower birth weights than white babies, yet they mature more rapidly postnatally.{{footnote}} https://www.amren.com/archives/back-issues/october-1999/#:~:text=Many%20of%20these%20race%20differences,in%20blacks%20than%20in%20whites{{/footnote}} Studies (and anecdotal observations) have found that black infants tend to hold their heads up, sit, crawl, and walk a bit earlier than white infants of the same age – a pattern also reported in some African populations.{{footnote}} https://www.amren.com/archives/back-issues/october-1999/#:~:text=Many%20of%20these%20race%20differences,in%20blacks%20than%20in%20whites{{/footnote}} One extreme case is the Efe pygmies, among whom babies have been observed to walk as early as 6 months, roughly twice as fast as the typical European infant timeline (12 months).{{footnote}} https://www.amren.com/archives/back-issues/october-1999/#:~:text=On%20the%20subject%20of%20size%2C,quickly%20than%20any%20human%20group{{/footnote}} Black children also enter puberty earlier, on average, than whites: in the U.S., African-American girls begin breast development and menstruation about 1–2 years earlier than European-American girls, and similarly boys show earlier genital development.{{footnote}} {{/footnote}} By around age 12, many black youths are biologically more mature (in bone growth and muscle mass) than their white peers. East Asians, in contrast, tend to be slightly later in maturation than Europeans (on average), continuing the pattern of an observed gradient: fast development at one end (Africans) and slowest at the other (East Asians), with Europeans intermediate – a pattern noted by J.P. Rushton and others as part of broader life-history differences. These developmental timing differences have practical implications (for instance, in youth athletics or education) and likely genetic underpinnings.
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66	66	* Brain and Cranial Size: Numerous studies (using methods from endocranial volume of skulls to MRI scans) have found average differences in brain size and cranial capacity among races. The differences are modest and with much overlap, but on average, East Asians have been found to have the largest brain volumes, followed by Europeans, then Africans, in many studies. For example, 19th-20th century physical anthropologists like Gould (reanalysing Morton’s skull measurements) and contemporary researchers like Rushton reported such trends in cranial measurements. These differences persist even when controlling for body size. It must be emphasized that brain size is only one factor among many in cognition (and there is debate about its significance), but the point here is that consistent anatomical differences in brain morphology have been observed. They align with the idea that human populations followed slightly different evolutionary paths, possibly due to climate (larger brains may help in cold climates for thermoregulation) or other selective pressures. Neuroscientist Michael Woodley notes that human groups can even be considered “phylogenetic species” under one definition – meaning the smallest discernible lineage clusters exist below the species level, though all humans remain one biological species in the sense of interbreeding capacity.
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