By Phin Upham
According to an article in Nature, the spread of dairy products across Europe may have played a major role in the region’s transition hunters and gatherers to farmers and herders. Recent research suggests that a single genetic mutation that started in Hungary around 7,500 years ago led adults to be able to handle ingesting milk and cheese. This started a chain of events that reshaped the culture of ancient Europe.
The genetic strain allowed adults to break down the lactose found in dairy products; because of this, raising cattle for milk and cheese along with meat became practical for a growing number of Europeans. In addition, people who have the mutation that allows them to drink milk produce children who are 19 percent more fertile than those without the mutation. Over generations, this created a huge population imbalance that allowed lactose-tolerant farmers and herders to thrive.
Read the entire article at: http://www.nature.com
About the Author: Phin Upham is an investor at a family office/ hedgefund, where he focuses on special situation illiquid investing. Before this position, Phin Upham was working at Morgan Stanley in the Media & Technology group. You may contact Phin on his Phin Upham website or Facebook page.