The Bajaus, known as sea nomads, have lived for centuries without citizenship on the coasts of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines. They are renowned for their exceptional free-diving abilities, diving up to 70 meters with minimal gear due to evolutionary adaptations like larger spleens. These adaptations also offer insights into human health in extreme conditions. Similarly, other indigenous groups have developed unique traits for survival in high altitudes or specialized diets, like the Tibetans and Inuits. Studies on these populations help us understand human evolution and potential health benefits.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The Bajao people are a unique group who have lived for centuries on the coasts of Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Philippines.
2. They are sea nomads who do not have citizenship nor the right to sit on land.
3. The Bajao people live in small houseboats and traditionally only come ashore to trade supplies or take shelter from storms.
4. They are skilled divers who can dive to depths of more than 70 meters for several minutes.
5. The Bajao people have a larger spleen than average, which is up to 50% larger.
6. The enlargement of the spleen is not a consequence of regular diving but has arisen as a result of evolution.
7. The Bajao people separated from their closest non-diving relatives about 15,000 years ago.
8. They have adapted to life underwater and can control their breathing and body.
9. The Bajao people do not have trouble catching fish on the first try due to their evolutionary adaptations.
10. The human body has a reaction triggered by holding breath and submerging in water, which slows down the heartbeat and contracts blood vessels.
11. The spleen contracts to provide an influx of oxygenated red blood cells.
12. The Bajao people's ability to survive underwater could inspire new ways to protect people on land.
13. Scientists are studying the genes of people who live at high altitudes, such as in Tibet and Ethiopia.
14. The people of Tibet have a unique adaptation that allows them to produce fewer red blood cells at high altitudes.
15. The Denisovans, an extinct human species, interbred with modern humans and left their DNA in several Asian populations.
16. The ancestors of modern Tibetans moved to a higher altitude, and natural selection led to the development of a unique gene that guarantees their survival.
17. The Sherpas, a Nepalese ethnic group, are famous for their records in speed climbing and have a unique ability to take advantage of oxygen better than anyone else.
18. The Inuit people have adapted to a diet low in plants and high in fish and mammal fats.
19. The Inuit have unique genes responsible for fatty acid metabolism, which protect against cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
20. The Korway tribe is the only known group of people who settle in tree houses.
21. The tribe built tree houses to protect themselves from floods, insects, and attacks from rival clans.
22. The Korway people have a traditional belief that their dead ancestors could return to the land of the living at any time.
23. The Moken children have an amazing ability to see underwater, twice as well as European children.
24. Moken children can contract their pupils and change the shape of the lens, similar to seals and dolphins.
25. Aboriginal people in the interior of Australia have vision more than four times better than non-indigenous people.
26. The reasons for the development of supervision are not completely known but probably have to do with evolutionary pressures over millennia.
27. Good eyesight was critical for the survival of hunter-gatherers in Australia.
28. The Australian Aboriginals have a long relationship with the stars, and knowledge of the constellations was part of their culture.
29. Astronomy was practiced in this region thousands of years before Stonehenge was built.
30. The Aboriginals' keen eyesight allowed them to see stars that modern explorers could not see with the naked eye.