ABC Sci-Tech - Race can't be determined from genes: scientists

Brazilian researchers have confirmed what scientists long suspected - a person's race is not reflected in their genes.

Although the researchers found 10 gene variations that could reliably genetically tell 20 men from northern Portugal and 20 men from Sao Tome in Africa apart, they found the differences did not influence physical characteristics.

In a second test, comparing Brazilians classed as 'white', 'black' or 'intermediate', the researchers found little difference between any of the participants based on 10 genetic markers.

Surprisingly, the researchers found maternal DNA suggests even the 'white' people studied had, on average, 33 per cent of genes that are of Amerindian ancestry and 28 per cent African.

"Our study makes clear the hazards of equating color or race with geographical ancestry and using interchangeably terms such as white, Caucasian and European on one hand, and black, Negro or African on the other, as is often done in scientific and medical literature."