The Science Behind The Super Abilities Of Sherpas
A study adds to evidence that it's a matter of blood and genes. "Hopefully, there will be huge medical implications," says one researcher.
Sherpas are extraordinary human beings.
In the high peaks of the Himalayas, members of the Nepalese ethnic group are famous for their speed-climbing records, ascents of routes that no one has ascended before, expert guiding and other skills.
What makes Sherpas so good at climbing into the wispy atmosphere of the world's tallest mountains?
They may be better at harnessing oxygen than the rest of us, suggests a new study, which also offers insights that could eventually help ordinary people whose tissues become deprived of oxygen because of medical conditions.
"You don't need to spend very long in that part of world to see that, a physiologist at the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom and one of the study authors.
