Scientific American: "How We Are Evolving"

When people hear the word evolution they often automatically think of the beginning of time or the Darwin Theory. Recent genetic studies have proved that the human race is still evolving. Thousands of years ago when some of the early nomadic people migrated to the Tibetan Plateau. The plateau is located in central Asia in the alps.They were not only faced with cold temperatures and scarce resources but a high altitude that made it hard for the new comers respiration. The altitude resulted in altitude sickness and a high infant mortality rate. The recent study on the Tibetans showed that a genetic variation that altered their red blood cell production enabling them to be able to cope with the low oxygen levels. This shows how they evolved over time just like other cultures have done for thousands of years to adapt to different climates. The proof of the peoples immunity to the high altitudes can really be seen when foreign climbers that try and face Everest are left breathless compared to the well tuned Tibetan guides. We can still see evidence of humans evolving today. For example, some people are more capable of handling cold temperatures than hot and vice versa depending on genes of past generations and where the family is from. This article can show a lot on how genetically different people are all over the world. Even more so is the fact that climate can alter such a complicated system as the biology of a human body over a period of time. Its pretty amazing what humans can go through to survive. Most of us in the U.S. have no idea of the harsh conditions that some people live in every day. These conditions to them have become just a part of everyday life whether it is having to walk miles to a source of water every day or relying on a fire to provide for life in the colder climates.