Ancient Teeth Suggest Europeans Rarely Ate Bugs—and May Have Been Less Adapted to Digest Them
A recent study reveals that ancient Europeans rarely consumed insects, with evidence found in their dental plaque. The research indicates that this aversion may stem from a long ecological and evolutionary history rather than just cultural factors. Genetic analysis shows that European populations have had reduced chitin digestion capabilities for at least 9,000 years.
- ▪Ancient Europeans consumed insects only rarely and likely by accident.
- ▪Neanderthals had higher levels of insect DNA in their dental plaque compared to ancient Europeans.
- ▪Genetic variants linked to reduced chitin digestion have been present in European populations for at least 9,000 years.
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Twenty-nine thousand years ago, in what is now the Czech Republic, someone may have swallowed a lake-dwelling midge without realizing it. Thousands of years later, in Germany, another person may have eaten food infested with insects. In the teeth of ancient Europeans, insects look less like food than accidental evidence.Today, edible insects are often promoted as a sustainable protein source, but Western consumers remain hard to convince. A new study published in Science Advances points to a reason that may reach further back than taste or culture.By analyzing ancient dental plaque from anatomically modern humans, Neanderthals, and great apes, the researchers found that ancient Europeans consumed insects only rarely and likely by accident, with far less insect DNA in their teeth than in…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Discover Magazine.
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