In an environment where others struggle to survive, Tibetans
thrive in the thin air on the Tibetan Plateau, with an average elevation of
14,800 feet. A University of Utah led discovery that hinged as much on strides
in cultural diplomacy as on scientific advancements, is the first to identify a
genetic variation, or mutation, that contributes to the adaptation, and to
reveal how it works. The research appears online in the journal Nature Genetics
on Aug. 17, 2014.