A race is a group of people considered by many to be of a similar color, race, or nationality, typically depending on their geographical association. The word was first used to describe common speakers of a single language and eventually to denote nationalities. In recent years, the word has also come to apply more to a collection of human groups considered by some to be of comparable race or nationality. Race refers to an inherited trait that may cause physical differences, such as skin tone, hair color, or height, or to some extent, genetic similarity. Some people believe all races are created equal, and others believe all races are different.
According to some schools of thought, all races are a “social group” of human beings who are distinguished by physical differences that give each race a “band” of differing characteristics. This definition of race is often rejected by other schools of thought, but the general consensus is that all races can be considered a “racial” group. In the United States, race refers to a “population” of individuals, rather than a particular race. In this way, race can apply to a population of human beings who are considered by scientists to have common genetic traits that affect their individual fertility, as well as the numbers of people in that population. For example, many Africans may be considered black, while whites and Asians may be considered a race because of the genetic similarities among different racial groups.
Many scientists think that human beings are a very diverse species, but they are also highly segregated into many genetically isolated races or subspecies. These various subspecies or races are further segregated into several different types. Each type of race has its own characteristics unique to it. The major races of human beings are the Caucasian, Asian, African, American Indian, Latin American, and Native American races. Within each of these main categories of races there are hundreds or thousands of minor types. Every subspecies that exists has specific characteristics that lend it to being unique compared to other types of humans.
The main classification system used by scientists is known as biological race categories. By classifying human beings according to biological race, it is easier to determine the physical characteristics of individuals. There are two primary classifications used in modern scientific research to classify human beings according to their physical characteristics. These classification systems are known as Aryan and Caucasian. The difference between these two race categories is purely linguistic and is not based on physical characteristics.
Some scientists argue that the terminology we use to define race can lead people to think that all races are essentially the same. In the United States for instance, it is widely accepted by most scientists that race does play some role in the genetic makeup of individuals, but there is no universal standard used to classify people as to their race. While it may be possible to find precise measurements of the melanin levels of various races, for instance, the analysis of gene frequencies is an entirely different matter.
Geneticists have been able to carry out genetic tests on black and white people and reveal interesting results regarding the distribution of the genetic disease variants among the different racial groups. People with African origin skin colour can be tested to reveal if they carry a particular genetic disease that is common in the black race but not so common in the white race. Similarly, people with an Asian appearance can be tested to prove if they have roots in China, India or Pakistan instead of just Japan or Korea.