Imagine two people. One has by chance a genetical anomaly that makes him immune to malaria but makes the amount of oxygen his blood can carry lower.
He and his brother who doesn’t have this genetic anomaly live in a region with malaria: Brother one has a much higher chance to get old enough to produce a lot of offspring, brother 2 dies without having any. -> next generation some have the anomaly too and again, they will be the ones that have a high chance of surviving.
Now the same in a region without malaria and higher altitude:
Brother 1 suddenly has less capacity to transport oxygen and brother 2 is much fitter than him: high chance for brother 2 to produce more offspring. Now the tides have turned.
After some generations you have 2 groups of people and they are adapted to their environment.
But the important part is: the adaption was there first, the environment decides what adaption is actually usefull and which isn’t.
Latest Answers