(CNN)Mount Everest is the ultimate test for adventurers trying to test their boundaries, but when it comes to climbing this natural monument, one group of people excel -- Sherpas. The Sherpa people are an ethnic group from Nepal who have lived in the high altitudes of the Himalayas for generations. They have long served as guides and porters, whose local expertise has been invaluable for foreigners attempting climbs in the area. But while they are admired for the ease with which they deal with the physical challenges of scaling some of the world's biggest peaks, the biological reasons for their mountain-climbing prowess have remained unknown -- until now. Denny Levett is a founding member of...
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