For decades, we’ve imagined our ancient ancestors as fierce hunters, feasting on raw meat. However, new research published in Science reveals that early relatives of present-day humans were mostly vegetarians. Scientists analyzed tooth enamel samples from seven prehistoric humans of the genus Australopithecus, who lived in southern Africa around 3.5 million years ago.
The study, led by Tina Lüdecke and her team at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, used a new method to determine the diet of these prehistoric humans. The researchers found that the nitrogen isotope ratio in the enamel was consistently low, similar to that of herbivores, but significantly lower than carnivores.
This suggests that Australopithecus had a largely or even exclusively plant-based diet, although they may have occasionally consumed protein sources like eggs or termites. The study’s findings contradict our traditional depiction of cave-dwellers as meat-eaters and highlight the importance of considering alternative food sources in our understanding of human evolution.
The researchers believe that meat consumption marked an evolutionary turning point, associated with increased brain volume and tool development in humans. With their new methodology, the team hopes to uncover more insights into human evolution and answer questions about when meat actually appeared on the menu of prehistoric humans.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/beyond-meat-prehumans-were-mostly-141138360.html