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The native Tibetan populations have adapted biologically to the low oxygen, which is why the Sherpas are so much better than the rest of us up there. Andean an
by BurningFrog 2y ago
The native Tibetan populations have adapted biologically to the low oxygen, which is why the Sherpas are so much better than the rest of us up there.
Andean and Ethiopan populations also have separate such mutations of their own.
Academic article: https://academic.oup.com/icb/article/46/1/18/661204 https://academic.oup.com/icb/article/46/1/18/661204
- tweetle_beetle 2y agoTraditionally Sherpas only make up a small percentage of "native" workers and they they tend to work in more mountaineering adjacent roles (fixing ropes, etc.) which come with more prestige, money and better equipment donations from privileged clients. Grunt work (porters, cooks, etc) is done by migrants from lowlands, on poor wages, with poor equipment and often effectively at higher risk despite not being involved in, for example, summit pushes. They do not benefit from the biological adaptations, nor noble savage mystique payday.