A recent study reveals how Tibetan people have evolved over 10,000 years to thrive in the low-oxygen environment of the Tibetan Plateau. According to research led by Cynthia Beall of Case Western Reserve University, these adaptations help Tibetan women, in particular, cope with hypoxia—where most people would struggle. Published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study shows Tibetan women have lower hemoglobin levels but higher oxygen saturation and uterine blood flow, enabling them to have healthier babies at high altitudes.
Beall explains that this adaptation reflects natural selection acting on oxygen delivery traits, enhancing reproductive success in this harsh environment. The study highlights how human evolution continues to respond to extreme living conditions .
English (US) ·