The Claim
Homo antecessor fossils from Atapuerca (0.96–0.8 million years ago) exhibit significantly higher densities of buccal enamel scratches (mean 254.13 ± 25.98 scratches per 0.56 mm²) than later hominins including Homo heidelbergensis and Iberian Neanderthals, indicating a diet that was more abrasive due to the consumption of grit-laden, unprocessed foods such as tough plants, bone marrow, or raw meat without cooking or advanced tool-based food preparation.
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.
Fossils of Homo antecessor show more scratches on their cheek teeth than later human ancestors, which suggests they ate more unprocessed, gritty foods like raw meat, tough plants, or bone marrow without cooking or using tools to prepare food.
See the scientific wording
Homo antecessor fossils from Atapuerca (0.96–0.8 million years ago) exhibit significantly higher densities of buccal enamel scratches (mean 254.13 ± 25.98 scratches per 0.56 mm²) compared to later hominins including Homo heidelbergensis and Iberian Neanderthals, suggesting a more abrasive diet likely due to consumption of grit-laden, unprocessed foods such as tough plants, bone marrow, or raw meat without cooking or advanced tool-based food preparation.
When people eat tough, gritty foods like raw plants, bone marrow, or meat covered in dirt, tiny hard particles get caught between the teeth during chewing. These particles scrape against the outer surface of the back teeth over and over, leaving behind tiny scratches. The more often this happens and the grittier the food, the more scratches build up over time, creating a lasting record of what was eaten.
What the research says
1 studyStudy: The diet of the first Europeans from Atapuerca
The ancient human ancestors from Spain had lots of tiny scratches on their teeth, which means they were eating gritty, tough foods like raw meat, bones, and plants covered in dirt—without cooking or tools to make food softer. Later humans had fewer scratches, meaning their food was easier to chew.
Score breakdown, mechanism chain, raw evidence, ideal studies needed & 1 supporting studies
Not medical advice. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.