Meat-rich diets and a single gene variant may have contributed to the physiological evolution of modern humans

This gene variant contributed to the dietary and physiological evolution of modern humans

Two of the traits that set modern humans apart from non-human primates are taller stature and a higher basal metabolic rate. Researchers have identified a genetic variant that contributed to the co-evolution of these traits. This mutation seems to help people grow taller -- especially when they consume a lot of meat.

Meat-rich diets and a single gene variant may have contributed to the physiological evolution of modern humans

Two of the traits that set modern humans apart from non-human primates are taller stature and a higher basal metabolic rate. Publishing in Cell Genomics, researchers have identified a genetic variant that contributed to the co-evolution of these traits. This mutation seems to help people grow taller—especially when they consume a lot of meat.

Unraveling the Co-Evolution of Human Height and Basal Metabolic Rate

Taller stature and a higher basal metabolic rate are two characteristics that distinguish modern humans from non-human primates. A genetic variant that helped these traits co-evolve was discovered by researchers and published in Cell Genomics.