Why are Scientists so excited about malaria and sickle cells?
A 6: Scientists have used the fact of this genetic mutation (which produced the sickle cell gene, equipping the trait carrier [AS] in a malarious environment to outlive in childhood both the double gene possessor [SS] and the no-sickle-gene possessor [AA]), to claim that here was one mechanism which allowed Darwinian Evolution to have taken place [See Scientific FAQ’s and Konotey-Ahulu’s response to this: Reference 9, pages 106-108 ‘Evolution and the sickle cell gene’].
