MIchael Michael MIchael, this is exactly George's point: what evidence about genetics and musical skills? Have you examined the studies personally to see how sound these arguments really are? Or are you persuaded, because you are already convinced, by the mere publication of a piece in a scientific journal that such and such has been shown. As a journalist, and I was science journalist for Nature for a good stretch, there is rarely time to check these articles out. You just report the claimed results and science journalism being what it is a second opinion is rarely asked for, particularly I may add when the results so strongly confirm social prejudice. The ruling class does have to do with this research because the climate is established where genetic origins of human ability is high on the priority list and can always get funded. The ruling ideas of any period etc and genetic origins of human difference is a ruling idea.