High Altitude Tolerance

• Percentage Of People Who Have It: Less Than 5%

If you are wanting to climb Mount Everest, you’re likely going to have a guide. This will almost always be a member of the Sherpas. They have lived around these Tibetan mountains for generations. They know the mountains well, especially Everest, which is why they guide so many. This is the most dangerous job in the world, but the pay is massive for the Tibetan and Nepalese people. Due to being here for generations, these people have developed a rare genetic trait. They can breathe normally at high altitudes, which normally makes even the most experienced non-native climbers sick.

The gene these native people possess goes back 40,000 years. People known as the Denisovans lived in these mountainous regions, and the generations that followed began to develop their incredible genetics. This supergene they have causes an increase in the oxygen-carrying hemoglobin, allowing the body to distribute oxygen more effectively. People with this gene can perform major manual labor tasks in high altitudes without experiencing oxygen deprivation. They can also breathe well in lower altitudes and still keep their incredible ability when they go back into higher altitudes.

Blue Eye Color

• Percentage Of People Who Have It: Around 8%

Blue eye color is not normal in the slightest and anyone who has this color has a mutation in their genetics. This might sound weird or scary, but it’s not that big of a deal. It began thousands of years ago when people began moving out of civilizations in the Middle East and into colder European sectors. Melanin began to change for these people as they no longer operated as often outdoors due to the far colder temperature. Eventually, the white caucasian skin color came from this.

Yet melanin did not stop with skin color, it also affected hair color and eventually the eyes. When it comes to blue eyes specifically, a genetic mutation in the HERC2 gene is to blame. This mutation causes reduced melanin production in the iris, which can offer a beautiful blue color. However, the lack of melanin also means those with blue eyes will be more sensitive to light. For example, they might need sunglasses in even small sunlight or have trouble driving at night due to lights on the road.

Golden Blood

• Percentage Of People Who Have It: Less Than 0.5% (Only 43 People Have Ever Reported To Have It)

We should state that we do not literally mean blood made of gold or gold-colored blood. Rather, this name typically comes from the rarity of this blood type. It is so rare that most hospitals have only a small supply of it or none at all. The “golden blood” is officially called the RH Null blood type. Basically, those with this blood type are missing all of their RH-blood antigens. Interestingly, anyone with another rare RH blood type can accept this blood type from donors.

As you can assume, since RH blood types are rare themselves, having RH Null blood around to give to ANY within the RH group is massively valuable. That is why those with this blood type are asked to donate as much blood as they can, as the medical community needs it in hospitals. However, due to the need hospitals have for it, RH Null blood is heavily needed for those who study blood too. If RH Null people did not exist, it could take literally months to years to find a specific RH donor.

SOURCES:

National Institutes Of Health

National Academy Of Sciences For The United States Of America

The New England Journal Of Medicine

American Academy of Ophthalmology

Centers For Disease Control & Prevention (CDC)

Mayo Clinic

University of California – San Francisco

BBC

Scientific American

Physiopedia

Live Science

Nature.com