Who conquered Everest? Most people will say Edmund Hillary.

Everyone forgets Tenzing Norgay! Norgay was the Sherpa who reached the summit with Hillary on the 29th of May 1953.

And indeed all of the major expeditions at this time, though led by foreigners, included Sherpas as an integral part of the team. But why? Why share the glory?

Gianpiero Cavalleri is Professor of Human Genetics at Royal College of Surgeons, Ireland & SFI Deputy Director of Future Neuro