Blondes becoming extinct, film at eleven ...

According to the London Times, blondes evolved to stand out:

THE modern gentleman may prefer blondes. But new research has found that it was cavemen who were the first to be lured by flaxen locks.

According to the study, north European women evolved blonde hair and blue eyes at the end of the Ice Age to make them stand out from their rivals at a time of fierce competition for scarce males.

Interesting notion, makes a certain amount of sense. Then you get to this part:

A study by the World Health Organisation found that natural blonds are likely to be extinct within 200 years because there are too few people carrying the blond gene. According to the WHO study, the last natural blond is likely to be born in Finland during 2202.

I read that and thought "Hmm, interesting notion, i've wondered if there would be a general die out as there is more racial mixing." Then I was distracted as a riff from Ray Manzarek's The Golden Scarab playing in my head and didn't really think more about it. (Special Seneca "You neeed a life" award for anyone who gets why.)

Probably should have thought more about it. Turns out the 2202 thing is an urban legend that was started in a German women's magazine.

Didn't stop the legacy media from reporting it, however. CBS had this:

"There's a study from the World Health Organization -- this is for real -- that says that blondes are an endangered species," Charlie Gibson said on "Good Morning America," prompting Diane Sawyer to say she's "going the way of the snail darter."

This last from a Washington Post story on how the story was "too good to check."

All interesting, even amusing. But --- like the "plastic turkey" and "breeches" of the New Orleans levees --- instructive.

What else do we know that turns out to have been "too good to check"?