New research highlights diet's role in human evolution

New research reveals how dietary changes in hominins shaped their evolution in response to environmental shifts.

Dietary shifts influenced physical evolution in early humans

A study led by Dartmouth researchers shows that early humans adapted to new diets much earlier than their teeth could manage. The research highlights that as hominins migrated from lush forests to grasslands, they began consuming grasses and starchy underground plant organs, despite having teeth not perfectly suited for this diet. This shift began around 3.8 million years ago with Australopithecus afarensis and continued with Homo rudolfensis, who relied on high-energy plant tissues like tubers. Interestingly, the teeth evolved to match the new diet only later, around 2 million years ago, when longer molars developed for better processing of these tougher foods.

This research challenges the traditional view that physical and behavioral changes in humans evolved concurrently. The findings suggest that adaptability and dietary preferences played a significant role in human evolution long before anatomical changes followed. This non-linear relationship between behavior and evolution demonstrates how early humans forged new paths in their environment, allowing them to thrive despite physical limitations. The implications for understanding human dietary evolution are profound, potentially reshaping how we view the connection between our ancestors and modern diet.

Highlights

This study offers new insights into how dietary innovations may have shaped human evolution in surprising ways.