The all-female Korean Haenyeo divers show genetic adaptions to cold water diving

How all-female Korean divers to cope with extreme conditions

A group of Haenyeo divers preparing for a dive in Jeju, Korea. Credit: Melissa Ilardo Humans have adapted to extreme conditions to live in nearly every environment on Earth. The Haenyeo, a group of all-female divers from the Korean island of Jeju, dive without breathing equipment in frigid waters year-round. New analysis has uncovered the behavioural and genetic changes that help these women survive the intense physiological stresses of free div…

It is a trend that has been growing over the last few years and is directly related to survival.The Wim Hof method was developed by the Dutch extreme athlete of the same name, who is also known as “The Ice Man”, due to his ability to control his body in considerably low temperatures.That has led to him currently having multiple records Guinness and acting as a motivational lecturer.According to the official website of the said institution, among…

The all-female Korean Haenyeo divers show genetic adaptions to cold water diving

The Haenyeo, a group of all-female divers from the Korean island of Jeju, are renowned for their ability to dive in frigid waters without the aid of breathing equipment -- even while pregnant. A study shows that the divers' remarkable abilities are due to both training and genetic adaptation, including gene variants associated with cold tolerance and decreased blood pressure. The divers also showed pronounced bradycardia, or slowing of the heart…

Legendary Female Free-Divers Reveal Evolution in Action on South Korean Island

To survive on this wild planet we call home, humans need to adapt. That's not just a feat of strength of will, but of the body. To deal with different environmental pressures, our bodies change over generations, tweaking the traits that will optimize our ability to not just live, but to thrive. We see it at high altitudes, where the human body has adapted to lower oxygen levels in the air. Now, scientists have found the genetic tracers for a…

In Jeju, the largest island in South Korea, there is a community of women capable of diving up to 18 meters of depth without oxygen. Baptized as haenyeo , they submerge at any time of the year, whether it is cold or hot, to fish seafood, a practice they have been doing for centuries (there are references of them in different writings, such as 'The Topography of Jeju', of 1629). These 'women of the sea', whose culture has been recognized by UNESC…

Genetic analysis of all-women extreme divers finds changes linked to blood pressure and cold tolerance

A new analysis of a group of all-women extreme divers off the coast of Korea has uncovered genetic differences that could help them survive the intense physiological stresses of free-diving—and could ultimately lead to better treatments for blood pressure disorders.