Studies into the evolution of different homo-sapiens in different locations could show the future of human health and vaccinations, according to Professor Luke O’Neill. 

He told Show Me the Science that 50,000 years ago, homo-sapiens arrived in Papua New Guinea, setting a new course for human evolution. 

A new study using DNA from people in Papua New Guinea revealed certain variances in genes were more common in these areas. 

“All genes have slight differences,” he said. “but we have these differences – evolution has built this in. 

“Every time you copy DNA, there’s a slight error, and the error might be a bit different between us, hence there are differences between us. 

“And survival of the fittest [is] based on genetic differences between [lives].” 

In Papua New Guinea, for example, different groups in different locations have evolved their own genetic traits. 

In the mountains, a variant developed that increased red blood cell count helped them to cope with the altitude. 

“We all have these genes [but] these people have overactive forms which allow them to survive altitude,” Prof O’Neill said. 

“The ones who had them could survive and that offspring, the descendants of those people, are the ones that were analysed.” 

Evolution of inflammation

Another group in the jungle, on the other hand, evolved to develop an important gene called GBP-2. 

The evolution of this gene made the people in the jungle more prone to inflammation in order to fight off infections. 

“In the jungles of Papua, New Guinea, when humans arrived there... there was a 40% mortality from infectious diseases in those jungles,” Prof O’Neill said. 

“You can see now people with an overactive inflammatory process are more likely to survive. 

“You have a cut in your hand, and it gets infected, it gets all inflamed because an inflammation brings in the immune system.” 

Future implications

These new revelations from 50,000 years ago could create new possibilities for future science, according to Prof O’Neill, particularly the gene GBP-2. 

“For my work, I’m interested in GBP-2,” he said. “If we can trigger that, with a new drug, say, it'll help the immune system. 

“Maybe better vaccines, if you can trigger the GBP-2 pathways. 

“The flip side of the coin is what if you dampen [the gene] down, you'll suppress inflammation, which could be used with various inflammatory diseases. 

“This could turn out to be extremely useful for what it's telling us about the history of sapiens on Earth.” 

You can listen to the full investigation here: