Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Times of India
The Times of India
World
TOI World Desk

How people in Chile's Atacama Desert evolved to survive drinking arsenic-poisoned water

For most of human history, a water source containing high concentrations of arsenic would have been considered deadly. Long-term exposure to the toxic metal is linked to cancers, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and neurological disorders. Yet for thousands of years, people living in Chile's Atacama Desert have relied on groundwater containing some of the highest naturally occurring arsenic levels ever recorded.

Get breaking news anytime, anywhere. Download the TOI app now!

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.