The blond hair on dark-skinned people in the Solomon Islands evolved there separately, scientists have discovered.

Sean Myles of the Nova Scotia Agricultural College in Truro, N.S., and a colleague took saliva samples from about 1,200 citizens of the Pacific islands, where a sizable minority of the population has bright blond hair despite being some of the darkest skinned people in the world.

"What we have is a great example of convergent evolution, where we have a similar trait — blond hair — that has arisen independently by independent molecular means on opposite ends of the Earth," Myles said.

Quirks & Quarks host Bob McDonald spoke with Myles about the discovery and the other questions it raises. Click the audio button to hear the full interview.