An island of colourblind people: Around 1775, a typhoon left just 20 survivors on Pingelap, and one man's rare gene changed how generations would see the world
A devastating storm in 1775 nearly wiped out Pingelap's population, leaving only a handful of survivors. One survivor carried a genetic mutation for achromatopsia, a rare condition causing complete color blindness. This 'founder effect' led to an unusually high percentage of islanders today seeing the world in black, white, and grey, offering scientists a unique case study in genetics and inherited eye diseases.
A devastating storm in 1775 nearly wiped out Pingelap's population, leaving only a handful of survivors. One survivor carried a genetic mutation for achromatopsia, a rare condition causing complete color blindness. This 'founder effect' led to an unusually high percentage of islanders today seeing the world in black, white, and grey, offering scientists a unique case study in genetics and inherited eye diseases.
