Indonesian divers have evolved bigger spleens to hunt underwater
By Elizabeth PennisiApr. 19, 2018 , 12:00 PM
Some of the most exciting discoveries in evolutionary biology in recent years have shown how humans have adapted to extreme conditions, such as living at high altitude. Now, researchers have found that Indonesia’s Bajau people, who for generations have spent the majority of their days diving and hunting underwater, also have genetic adaptations for their unusual lifestyle. These “sea nomads†carry a gene variant that seems to lead to unusually large spleens that can supply an extra boost of oxygenated red blood cells on demand.
http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2018/04/indonesian-divers-have-evolved-bigger-spleens-hunt-underwater
