Why is color blindness so much more common in men than in women? \ stacker news ~science

Most males carry one X and one Y chromosome in each cell; they inherit their single X chromosome from their mother and their Y from their father. The genes responsible for the light-sensitive proteins that constitute cone cells are located solely on the X chromosome, though, so that means males get one only copy of each gene — and just one chance for each to work properly.

Thus, if that lone copy has a mutation, they'll likely be color-blind. Females, on the other hand, typically have two X chromosomes in each cell — one from each parent. So even if one X chromosome carries a faulty version of a cone-cell gene, the other often carries a working copy that can compensate. As a result, females are much less likely to develop color blindness, although they can still carry and pass on the faulty genes that underpin the condition.

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @freetx 18 Jul

Thats a "how" explanation but not really a "why".

The normal explanation is that seeing colors accurate is less important for males than females.....seeing that your baby has developed a rash or spotting an infection is more important for a mother to have than a father.

The sacrifice in color perception in males is made up by other vision benefits: Males are typically much better at detecting motion and night vision....both skills that would reward hunting.