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.