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The Wanderlust Gene: Why Some People Are Born to Travel

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If you look at history and the human tendency to travel to far-flung areas of the planet, you may begin to suspect there’s something in the human genome that causes this compulsive wandering behavior. You may become even more convinced of this genetic tendency if you have ever traveled to what you thought was a distant corner of the earth and met up with someone from your very own town or neighborhood. It appears that some humans are driven to explore and seek out new environments, a human habit which has caused some scientists to consider whether there is a “travel gene” that contributes to the behavior.

The Human Need To Wander

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Anthropologists suggest that humans begin their wandering ways when the need for more food or mates compels them to begin to travel to fill these needs. Although that theory has some basis in fact, other forces also appear to be in play in regard to human migration. In past ages, the lure of the unknown, or even some deep inner restlessness and need to move, has often cause human beings to travel to previously unexplored areas.

Even today, when modern conveniences make individuals’ lives prosperous and comfortable, people still feel that international travel, often to places with much fewer amenities where some danger lurks, is a pleasurable and beneficial experience. The tourism industry in countries all over the world attests to this deeply ingrained need for travel.

The Travel Gene

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Geneticists are quick to point out that no one gene determines a behavior. Rather, a several genes function together to create susceptibility for certain traits, actions or behaviors. In addition, external circumstances also create their own pressures on human activities. But scientists have discovered a gene that tends to occur in individuals who favor travel. This gene, called 7 repeating DRD4 is associated with levels of dopamine in the brain, a neurotransmitter that produces feelings of pleasure. Scientist found that this gene was consistently present in all groups of humans that were found in locations far away from their points of origin. In addition, another gene variant called 2r is found more frequently than expected in groups that have traveled far beyond the territories of their expected African roots. The researchers posit that these genes made it possible for the travelers to adjust to new environments easily, gaining pleasure from the stimulation of the experience due to the dopamine receptors in their brains.

The Stay-in-Place Gene

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Just as there are genetic forces that compel people to wander, there may also be genes that influence individuals to stay in their own familiar environments. These individuals may be disturbed by changes in their environment, finding it threatening because it offers physical discomfort or contact with unfamiliar people. With further testing, researchers find these individuals have a low level of impulsivity and thrill-seeking and higher levels of anxiety when exposed to new situations. They are unlikely to search out new experiences and environments, preferring the well-worn paths of the familiar.

Other Factors that Make Humans Prone to Traveling

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Scientists emphasize that although the discovery of this gene variation in humans is interesting, it does not, in itself, explain the tendency of the species to travel long distances and settle in faraway places. Unlike other primates, humans have the upright structure, flexible hips and long legs that make long-distance movement possible. And the flexible hands and adaptive brains of humans make it easier for the species to take advantage of a variety of different environments. All these factors together tend to point to a human species that not only has an inclination to travel, but one that can revel in the experience.

If you thumb through travel magazines and find whole worlds you would like an opportunity to explore, it is probably because of a number of factors in the makeup of your personality, including the travel gene. You can indulge your spirit of adventure and travel anywhere, with the right auto coverage and an adaptive state of mind.

The post The Wanderlust Gene: Why Some People Are Born to Travel appeared first on Intent Blog.


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