Residents of Japan’s Jeju Island have evolved to be resistant to hypothermia
A group of women on South Korea’s largest island, Jeju, follow a unique tradition to provide food for themselves: They dive to depths of about 33 feet (10 meters) without using any special equipment. Now, a new study shows that these women carry special genes that South Koreans living on the mainland do not have. These genes may be linked to the women’s ability to withstand cold water and lower their blood pressure while diving.