Traditional huts in Kodekode village, Turkana County, Kenya. Residents here face extreme heat and water scarcity — challenges that have influenced the community’s unique genetic adaptations.
Living in one of the most arid regions of East Africa, the Turkana people have long endured extreme heat and chronic water scarcity, and adopted a pastoralist diet dominated by milk, meat and blood.
Despite living where shade is scarce, water takes hours to fetch and 90 percent of people tested showed signs of dehydration, the Turkana were found to be remarkably healthy in a landmark study.
