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...
Mechanism
Synthesis from 1 study
These ancient humans ate mostly leaves and fruits from trees and bushes because their teeth were better at chewing those soft plants than tough grasses. Even though grass was everywhere, their bodies recorded the chemical signature of the easier-to-eat plants in their teeth.
Most probable mechanism
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.
Tooth enamel structure and microwear patterns reflect repeated mechanical stress from chewing fibrous plant tissues, with less wear consistent with soft, non-grassy vegetation.
Carbon isotopes incorporated into developing tooth enamel during childhood mirror the isotopic signature of consumed plants, with C3 plants producing a distinct signal compared to C4 plants.
The absence of isotopic or dental evidence for significant meat consumption indicates that dietary carbon sources were derived almost entirely from plant materials.
Evidence from Studies
Supporting (1)
Community contributions welcome
Australopithecus at Sterkfontein did not consume substantial mammalian meat.
Contradicting (0)
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Gold Standard Evidence Needed
According to GRADE and EBM methodology, here is what ideal scientific evidence would look like to definitively prove or disprove this specific claim, ordered from strongest to weakest evidence.