Inside‑Outside Eye Pigmentation Paradox

Projecting a retinal‑pigmentation polygenic score onto ancient genomes reveals that the genetics of the eye’s inside (retina/pigment) and the outside (iris color) may have evolved in opposite directions in Europe, with a notable turning point around the Iron Age. The result implies selection can target internally functional pigmentation differently than externally visible traits and that ancient‑DNA plus AI phenotyping can uncover such dissociations. — This reframes how polygenic scores and ancient DNA are used in public debates about human variation: outward appearance can mislead about underlying functional adaptation, so policymakers and communicators must avoid simplistic genetic narratives that conflate appearance with biological function.