A fascinating report in the July 2 issue of Science “comparing the genomes of Tibetans and Han Chinese, the majority ethnic group in China, the biologists found that at least 30 genes had undergone evolutionary change in the Tibetans as they adapted to life on the high plateau. Tibetans and Han Chinese split apart as recently as 3,000 years ago.”

“Genetic differences between Tibetans and Chinese are a potentially delicate issue, given Tibetan aspirations for political autonomy.”