A recent study challenges long-held assumptions about early human evolution, suggesting that some of our ancestors stuck to a mostly plant-based diet. The research, led by Dr. Tina Lüdecke from the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Germany, analyzed nitrogen isotopes in fossilized tooth enamel from seven Australopithecus individuals found in the Sterkfontein Caves near Johannesburg.
The team’s findings indicate that these early human ancestors primarily consumed a plant-based diet and did not regularly eat meat. This challenges previous theories that the consumption of animal resources played a crucial role in the development of larger brains and more advanced tool-making abilities.
To support their claims, the researchers compared the nitrogen isotope ratios in the Australopithecus teeth to those of coexisting animals, including herbivores and carnivores. The results showed that the nitrogen isotope ratios in the Australopithecus teeth were consistently low, closely resembling those of plant-eating animals.
The study’s lead geochemist, Dr. Tina Lüdecke, noted that tooth enamel can preserve the isotopic fingerprint of an animal’s diet for millions of years. By analyzing these isotopes, scientists can determine whether an organism primarily consumed plants or animals.
This research represents a major breakthrough in understanding human evolution and provides clear evidence that Australopithecus was largely herbivorous. The study’s findings have significant implications for our understanding of the role of meat consumption in human evolution and may lead to further questions about the relationship between diet, brain development, and social structures.
The research team now plans to expand their study by analyzing fossilized tooth enamel from other early hominin species across different time periods and geographic regions. This could help answer long-standing questions about whether the introduction of meat provided an evolutionary advantage.
Source: https://www.earth.com/news/early-humans-had-surprising-diets-3-5-million-years-ago