The world's snake living snake holds the secret of human survival?

Reptiles that exist in Tibet, the world's tallest plateau, have the same mutant genome as native people, which can help reveal human survival secrets.

According to the Morning Chinese Post Office (SCMP), Chinese scientists hope to study how snakes exist on the Tibetan plateau one day will help people survive better than high-altitude areas. tell.

Specifically, the study found that snakes that exist in Tibet have a genetic mutation that is identical to humans living at extreme altitudes. This allows blood cells to carry more oxygen to feed the body .

Researchers found that Tibetan snakes have genetic changes to survive in harsh environments.

'This is a mechanism that helps animals, including warm blood and cold blood, adapt in extreme conditions. This can help people survive better, avoid high-altitude shock , 'said Li Jiatang, a researcher from the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

This is the first study to show that cold-blooded animals also know how to adapt to the harsh living conditions of 'the roof of the world' , according to SCMP. New research is published in the scientific journal of the US National Research Institute of Science.

The snake that Chinese scientists choose to study is a reptile that lives at 3,500-4,400 meters above the Tibetan plateau.

The study showed that this snake has undergone mutation of the EPAS1 gene to adapt to ultraviolet rays and low oxygen levels. The EPAS1 gene is also found in modern humans and those who live in extreme altitudes also experience similar adaptations.

Tibet is the world's tallest plateau, considered "the roof of the world".

Combining the research results, Li and his team believe that this type of gene helps blood cells carry more oxygen to feed the body.

The high degree of shock that people suffer includes headache, nausea, permanent damage to the brain and lungs or even life-threatening. Mr. Li's group hopes to find a cure for high-altitude shock so that people can easily live in the highest places in the world, such as the Tibetan plateau or the Andes in South America.