Researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences have published a major study in Molecular Biology and Evolution identifying the earliest known genetic markers for resistance to High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE). The analysis of 8,000-year-old skeletal remains from the northern Tibetan Plateau reveals that early settlers had already developed specific mutations in the EGLN1 and EPAS1 genes, which protected them from the lethal effects of extreme low-pressure environments.
This genomic evidence suggests that the permanent colonization of the world's highest plateau was facilitated by rapid epigenetic selection during the early Holocene. Unlike modern travelers who suffer from HAPE, these ancient individuals possessed a refined cardiovascular feedback loop that prevented fluid accumulation in the lungs. The study provides a critical data point for understanding the evolutionary timeline of human physiological adaptation to the world's most extreme terrestrial habitats.