(09-04-2013, 01:14 PM)Crackpunch Wrote: If darker skin requires additional maintenance over lighter skin, then yes it is disadvantageous. It may not be much of a problem for some, but it would have some sort of impact.
Yes it might be slightly disadvantageous, but it will only disappear due to natural selection if it is a significant enough effect to hinder the reproductive success and outcome of those who have it compared to people with lighter skin. Even without healthcare in an advanced galaxy spanning society to combat the problems dark skinned people may face I still don't think it would have an impact on the overall population. Society as a whole is far more advanced than when humanity first walked the earth. Life expectancy is much higher and I couldn't imagine a theoretical situation where black people would struggle to maintain the reproductive success as other races in Freelancer.
In fact, I reckon a far more likely scenario for any particular race disappearing in the fl universe would be due to racial discrimination. War, poverty, persecution towards any particular race I would think would be far more likely to have an effect on ethnic dynamics. If it lasted long enough, especially if a government was instrumental behind it there could quite possibly be a great reduction in whatever race it is, in sectors of Sirius.