Final answer:
Race is considered a social construct with no biological underpinning according to the Human Genome Project findings and scientists. Human genetic diversity shows more variation within groups than between them, rendering racial categories scientifically invalid. Using ancestry rather than race for genetic research can lead to a better understanding of human diversity.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to research on human diversity and genetic variation, the Human Genome Project and many scientists suggest that racial categories are not scientifically valid. Genetic markers such as skin pigmentation, which is controlled by about 15 out of 45,000 genetic markers, do not align with the racial categories commonly used in society. Since there is more genetic variation within groups than between them, using race as a deterministic biological variable is inaccurate and misleading.
Anthropologists, biologists, and geneticists align with the view that race has no genetic basis. Instead, they propose that utilizing the concept of ancestry over race may lead to a better understanding of human genetic diversity, which is a complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and social factors. The concept of race is largely seen as a social construction with no biological underpinning, which historically, has been intertwined with pseudoscience and used to justify discriminatory practices.
Furthermore, social science organizations have officially rejected biological explanations of race. When looking at human traits such as skin color, facial features, and blood types, they span a gradient, debunking the idea of discrete racial categories. Biological anthropology, therefore, emphasizes the non-existence of biological racial categories and the importance of understanding human genetic diversity as a spectrum.