Tampa: Researchers have discovered the first evidence that people can genetically adapt to deep diving, as shown by the unusually large spleens in indigenous people of Indonesia known as the “Sea Nomads,” a study said.
The spear-fishing Bajau people regularly free-dive to depths of up to 230 feet (70 meters), with only weights and a wooden mask. They spend up to 60 percent of their work day diving for fish, spearing octopus and gathering crustaceans — an amount of time rivaled only by sea otters — and can stay underwater up to 13 minutes at a time, said the report in the journal Cell. Intrigued by this unusual ability, American researcher Melissa Ilardo, then a post doctoral candidate at the Centre for GeoGenetics at the University of Copenhagen, wondered if they had genetically adapted somehow to be able to spend more time underwater than other people.
She spent several months in Jaya Bakti, Indonesia, with the help of a translator, getting to know the Bajau and another nearby group that did not dive, the Saluan. “I spent my whole first visit to Jaya Bakti introducing myself, the project, and the underlying science,” she said. “I wanted to be sure that they understood exactly what I was asking of them so they could help to direct the project to reflect their interests. They were very curious and excited about the research.” Before her second visit, she learned some Indonesian in order to be able to communicate directly with the Bajau. She took genetic samples and did ultrasound scans, which showed that Bajau had spleens about 50 percent larger than the Saluan.
