Humans Are Evolving Right in Front of Our Eyes on The Tibetan Plateau

[Yappi]

Humans are not yet done cooking. We're continuing to evolve and adjust to the world around us, the records of our adaptations written in our bodies.

We know that there are some environments that can make us unwell. Mountain climbers often succumb to altitude sickness – the body's reaction to a significant drop in atmospheric pressure, which means less oxygen is taken in with each breath.

And yet, in high altitudes on the Tibetan Plateau, where oxygen levels in the air people breathe are notably lower than lower altitudes, human communities thrive.

Humans Are Evolving Right in Front of Our Eyes on The Tibetan Plateau

Humans are not yet done cooking.

www.sciencealert.com

 

[eastisbest]

we haven't as yet seen any record holding marathoners from there or Bolivia or other places with high altitude communities. Natural culture to run distance or not, with all the money to be made I'd have thought western coaches, trainers.. would have converged en masse. Distance running in Africa, Kenya was started by a missionary. Etheopian Abebe Bikila lived in more moderate altitude and was trained by a Swede. The altitudes were not so extreme in either case, something most of us can adapt to in a few days or a week.

Is there a too high?

 

[OhioBobcatFan06]

we haven't as yet seen any record holding marathoners from there or Bolivia or other places with high altitude communities. Natural culture to run distance or not, with all the money to be made I'd have thought western coaches, trainers.. would have converged en masse. Distance running in Africa, Kenya was started by a missionary. Etheopian Abebe Bikila lived in more moderate altitude and was trained by a Swede. The altitudes were not so extreme in either case, something most of us can adapt to in a few days or a week.

Is there a too high?

It's not like Kenya is low altitude. I think high altitude is definitely a factor for Kenya and Ethiopia's success in running; but there are other factors.

Most importantly they have a running culture that predates marathon races, which seems to have helped them develop a number of favorable genetic advantages.

 

[eastisbest]

It's not like Kenya is low altitude. I think high altitude is definitely a factor for Kenya and Ethiopia's success in running; but there are other factors.

Most importantly they have a running culture that predates marathon races, which seems to have helped them develop a number of favorable genetic advantages.

Kenya is coastal, it has all kinds of altitudes. The training doesn't take place at any altitude that many countries cannot match and exceed. Nothing in the range being talked in the article, that they claim are leading to evolutionary changes. Kenya's highest community lives under 3000m. Bolivia has over a million living at 4300m.

Hence my question: if altitude is the key, then why isn't Nike putting millions into Bolivia? Nepal? Creating that culture? Is there a too high?

Not sure what you mean by "running culture" as opposed to any other country? The Inca were known for runners. Bikila was the African continent's first Olympics distance champ. That wasn't until the 60s and as I wrote, because he was trained by a Swede who just saw a kid running better than the others. Not a bunch of long distance speedsters. I'm not an expert but the only "long distance running culture" I recall learning was in the low lands, in southern Africa.

Is there some written research supporting the claim of genetic advantages, as opposed to cultural choices?

 

[Steel Valley FB]

Humans Are Evolving Right in Front of Our Eyes on The Tibetan Plateau

Humans are not yet done cooking.

www.sciencealert.com

I’m not sure it’s evolution they’re experiencing, but adaptation; which would be shorter term and possibly not passed on to their offspring.

Football players for the Denver Broncos experience this same thing. Pull a five-year player from Denver to another lower-elevation team for three years then send him back to Denver and my guess is he’d need to readapt to the lower oxygen; meaning it wasn’t a permanent biological change. Animals can experience this same thing with their coats or skin color, but it’s not permanent with back and forth environment changes.

You could pull some of these Tibetans to live in a much lower-elevation to test this theory. Maybe for 10 years and monitor their vitals for a period upon their return. Better yet would be to have pregnant couples have their children in a different environment, wait ten years then move them back. Maybe it’s a hereditary change, maybe not. It’s all very interesting nonetheless.