Overview
- Researchers sequenced 367 whole genomes and analyzed more than 7 million variants, identifying eight genomic regions under natural selection.
- A kidney‑expressed gene, STC1, shows especially strong signals of adaptation consistent with concentrating urine and processing purine‑rich foods such as meat and blood.
- The team estimates key adaptive variants emerged about 5,000 years ago during a period of regional aridification in northern Africa.
- Field surveys found diets derived 70–80% from animal sources and high rates of dehydration, yet participants were generally healthy.
- As more Turkana people urbanize, potential gene–environment mismatch may elevate chronic disease risk, and the team plans a Turkana‑language podcast with practical health guidance.