Anthropology's Cynthia Beall discusses human evolution at high altitudes
Humans are evolving in front of our eyes on the Tibetan Plateau
Science Alert: Cynthia Beall, Distinguished University Professor Emerita in the Department of Anthropology at the College of Arts and Sciences, said high-altitude hypoxia offers “a beautiful example” of human biological variation. Her team found Tibetan Plateau women with average hemoglobin but high oxygen saturation had the most live births. “This is a case of ongoing natural selection,” Beall said, revealing adaptations that maximize oxygen delivery without taxing the heart.
