Jeju's sea women dive without oxygen. A 2025 study finally found out what their hearts do underwater
- The Haenyeo — sea women of South Korea's Jeju Island — dive up to 18 metres without oxygen tanks, with many still diving in their 80s and 90s.
- A 2025 University of Utah study found their heart rates drop 50% more than non-divers when they hold their breath — conserving oxygen for vital organs.
- Researchers believe this heart-slowing response is built through a lifetime of diving — the body trains itself to do it automatically underwater.
- All Jeju women — divers and non-divers — share genetic variants linked to cold tolerance, suggesting the ocean has shaped the island's DNA over generations.
Source: economictimes.indiatimes.com
Get 100 stories a day on the app
Read, watch & listen · Free on iOS & Android
