2025-01 - Three million years ago, our ancestors were vegetarian - Wits University
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Human ancestors like Australopithecus – which lived around 3.5 million years ago in southern Africa – ate very little to no meat, according to new research published in the scientific journal Science. This conclusion comes from an analysis of nitrogen isotope isotopes in the fossilized tooth enamel of seven Australopithecus individuals. The data revealed that these early hominins primarily relied on plant-based diets, with little to no evidence of meat consumption.

  • Chuymatt@beehaw.org
    4·
    5 days ago

    And they likely died out because they were not generalists. We have seen this in multiple hominid species, where the dentition and chewing musculature points toward very specific dietary niches, and then, they die out, because of massive changes in the environment they were living in, also change the density of their specialized food. And then, the generalists survive.

  • wewbull@feddit.ukEnglish
    3·
    5 days ago

    Is it that surprising when we’re talking about a creature that looked something like this?

    • §ɦṛɛɗɗịɛ ßịⱺ𝔩ⱺɠịᵴŧ@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
      16·
      5 days ago

      Not exactly, Homo erectus and Neanderthal’s both ate meat. The consumption of meat by Homo erectus was associated with a reduction in the size of the gut area due to consistently incorporating animal foods into their diet. Neanderthals were known to be skilled hunters as well. The biggest difference between us and our more recent ancestors is the truncation of a GTPase gene in our DNA, which led to the ability to have neurons grow on top of one another. Previously, neuron growth would be stopped when a neuron came into contact with another. So that’s without question the biggest genetic feature that sets us apart.

    • catloaf@lemm.eeEnglish
      6·
      5 days ago

      The nutrients from meat (protein, amino acids, or whatever) are considered one of the factors that helped us develop our brains.

      You can kind of see it in other animals, too. Carnivore predators (e.g. sharks, wolves) are a bit more intelligent than their prey (e.g. deer, smaller fish).

      • §ɦṛɛɗɗịɛ ßịⱺ𝔩ⱺɠịᵴŧ@lemmy.mlOPEnglish
        111·
        5 days ago

        I hear what you’re saying, but I wanted to point out that any living organism is built from the same 20 amino acids, which are put together based on a blueprint (aka DNA). A string of amino acids is called a polypeptide, which is also known as a protein. But both dogs and wolves are omnivores, it’s a common misconception to think they’re carnivorous. Cats on the other hand are carnivorous creatures.

        Additionally, it is not necessarily true that carnivores are more intelligent than omnivores or herbivores as a result of their diet. Instead, predators and prey are in a contest of brain size relative to body size. While carnivores and omnivores have more potential opportunity to develop intelligence, they’d have to be a social species for that to occur. So relative brain size and intelligence aren’t directly associated with diet, but more so a result of social structures and genetics.