Indonesia's 'fish people' adapted to life under water by developing larger spleens

Diving hundreds of feet below the sea may seem like a far fetched idea for human beings. But can these limitations be pushed aside due to the tendency of adapting to varying living conditions?

Indonesia’s Bajau tribe are also known as the fish people as they have wandered seas for thousands of years catching fish by diving with spears. Now researchers have found that they have developed extra large spleens over the years which enable them to dive to a depth of 200 feet.

The tribe described as sea nomads are now settled in Indonesia and are known for their ability to hold their breath for a long time. They are able to dive 70 ft with only wooden glasses and a set of weights.

As a person’s body is submerged in cold water for a brief amount of time, the spleen plays a crucial role in putting the body in survival mode. The heart rate slows and the spleen contracts to release oxygenated red blood cells into circulation.

The Bajau people have spleens which are 50 percent larger than that of their land-dwelling counterparts the Saluan. This is the first known example of human’s adapting to deep sea diving.