Overview

• Humans in Europe have increased genes for starch-digesting enzymes from an average of eight to over 11.
• The rise in gene numbers correlates with the spread of agriculture and a high-carbohydrate diet.
• Multiple copies of amylase genes offered a survival advantage by efficiently extracting energy from starch.
• The study used advanced sequencing to uncover rapid gene evolution and its implications for human disease.
• Similar genetic changes were observed in other agricultural populations worldwide, indicating a global trend.