The Claim
Carbon isotope values from Australopithecus tooth enamel at Sterkfontein indicate a dietary reliance primarily on C3 plants, including trees, shrubs, and leaves, as opposed to C4 plants such as grasses and sedges, despite the latter being ecologically abundant in the region during that period.
What the research says
Supports is higher
Support is ahead, but a single strong opposing study can change this.
These are independent scores, not a percentage. Higher-grade studies count more, so a single strong opposing study can outweigh several weaker ones.
Analysis of carbon isotopes in fossilized teeth from ancient Australopithecus hominins shows they ate mostly plants like trees and shrubs, not grasses, even though grasses were common in their environment.
See the scientific wording
Carbon isotope values from Australopithecus tooth enamel at Sterkfontein indicate a diet dominated by C3 plants, such as trees, shrubs, and leaves, rather than C4 plants like grasses or sedges, which were abundant in the region at the time.
The teeth of these ancient humans were better suited for chewing soft, leafy plants from trees and shrubs than tough grasses, so they ate more of the easier-to-process foods, even though grasses were common nearby.
What the research says
1 studyStudy: Australopithecus at Sterkfontein did not consume substantial mammalian meat.
Scientists looked at the chemical makeup of ancient teeth and found that these early humans ate mostly leaves, fruits, and other parts of trees and bushes—not grasses or sedges—even though grasses were common around them.
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies
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