Meet the Real Life X-men, The Sherpa

We all know that Mount Everest is the highest mountain on Earth known for its historical facts and mountaineering activities.  Every year there are 500 people from all around the world gathering here for the summit.

Normal healthy people and sometimes even the best of the climbers struggle to function in such high altitudes as the oxygen level in the air declines at high altitudes. Also, our body tissues carry less oxygen compared to the levels it does on the ground level.  Our body tends to lose more water and the metabolism increases while appetite is suppressed.  As a result, we can get altitude sickness within 12 hours of exposure to high altitudes. This will cause shortness of breath, dehydration, and loss of energy.

However Sherpas, the people who live here don’t have to go through any of these.  But, how?  Sherpas are natives of Tibet who migrated to Nepal’s mountainous region a thousand years ago. The Himalayan range where Sherpas live is called Sagarmatha or the third pole.  They are capable of doing heavy activities and also climbing without any difficulty and any of the sicknesses that affect us.  The science behind their superhuman ability is the evolution in their physiological body.  Living for a long time in the region has made these people adapt to these conditions. Also, Sherpas have larger lung volume and the tissues in their bodies are capable of carrying more oxygen.  The first Mt. Everest summit climbing was done by a Sherpa, Tensing Norgay!