A groundbreaking study published in Science magazine reveals that human ancestors who lived around 3.5 million years ago were mostly vegetarian. The research, conducted by scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry and the University of Witswatersrand, analyzed the nitrogen isotopes in the fossilized tooth enamel of seven Australopithecus individuals found in southern Africa.
The study’s lead author, Tina Lüdecke, explains that analyzing nitrogen isotope ratios can help understand an animal’s place in the food chain. The more 15N an animal has in its body compared to 14N, the higher up in the food chain it is believed to be. This method allows scientists to study the diets of ancient humans and gain insights into their evolution.
The researchers found no evidence of meat consumption among Australopithecus; instead, they ate a varied plant-based diet, with occasional consumption of eggs or termites. The team’s discovery sheds new light on human evolution and suggests that the transition from a vegetarian diet to one including meat may have played a crucial role in the growth of the brain.
The study’s findings have significant implications for our understanding of human history and the development of modern humans. As Alfredo Martínez-García, co-author of the study, notes, “This method opens up exciting possibilities for understanding human evolution, and it has the potential to answer crucial questions about when our ancestors began to incorporate meat in their diet.”
Source: https://www.newsweek.com/ancestors-vegetarian-archaeologists-australopithecus-plants-diet-2017830