By Will Davies Indians and Europeans are a tolerant bunch, at
least when it comes to milk, and it could all stem back to the
same person who lived as long ago as 10,000 years, according to
a Cambridge University study. While 68% of the world’s
population suffers from lactose intolerance, many in India and
Europe – as well as the Middle East and parts of Africa – have a
genetic mutation that makes them lactase persistent, allowing
them to digest lactose, the sugar in milk. All babies produce
the gut enzyme lactase, but production usually shuts down before
adulthood. For the intolerant majority, drinking milk can lead
to abdominal pain, nausea, bloating and diarrhea. That seems
like a suitable punishment for being intolerant in general, but
it’s harsh for simply being averse to lactose. In a recent
statement following the study, Cambridge University noted that
lactase persistence is common in parts of the world where
domesticated cattle are widespread. Previous studies have found
that lactase persistence has ev