2025-01 - Three million years ago, our ancestors were vegetarian - Wits University
www.wits.ac.za

cross-posted from: https://lemmy.ml/post/24943429

Human ancestors like Australopithecus – which lived around 3.5 million years ago in southern Africa – ate very little to no meat, according to new research published in the scientific journal Science. This conclusion comes from an analysis of nitrogen isotope isotopes in the fossilized tooth enamel of seven Australopithecus individuals. The data revealed that these early hominins primarily relied on plant-based diets, with little to no evidence of meat consumption.

      • seven_phone@lemmy.worldEnglish
        137·
        1 day ago

        From your subject knowledge and comprehension you almost certainly do not have a postgraduate degree, I have a PhD in soft rock geology. I have explained to you twice that opportunistic means taking whatever is most readily available. Under the circumstances discussed that will be most often plant material but that selection does not imply any preference. You are the only one implying preference because you are trying to crowbar in your vegetarian agenda. I see also you have cranked up a few side accounts to upvote yourself.

        • booly@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
          92·
          1 day ago

          You are the only one implying preference

          Third party here, jumping into this thread. It’s pretty clear that OP didn’t say, or even imply, anything about preference, and even put scare quotes around “preference” when responding to you bringing it up. You come off as paranoid and bizarrely defensive in this thread, and it’s a bad look.

          • seven_phone@lemmy.worldEnglish
            37·
            1 day ago

            It is very clear you and your best friend HylicManoeuvre are one and the same person, but like a great many things you are unable to see how obvious that is. I realise now it was not fair of me to engage in discussion with someone of your calibre so I will say nothing more.

            • booly@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
              52·
              1 day ago

              It is very clear you and your best friend HylicManoeuvre are one and the same person

              I dunno, I think our comment histories are pretty distinct, in both our views/preferences and the topics we’re comfortable discussing. I think that’s pretty clear for anyone who just wants to take a look. Again, by insisting that we must be alts for the same person with a secret vegan agenda comes off as paranoid and delusional.

            • Higgs boson@dubvee.orgEnglish
              52·
              1 day ago

              not fair of me to engage in discussion with someone of your calibre so I will say nothing more

              Ad hominem, last refuge of the troll.

            • scarabic@lemmy.worldEnglish
              42·
              1 day ago

              It’s also very clear that you’ve let half a dozen upvotes go to your head and are now just flinging insults at anyone who engages your dull views. If you had any point to make you’ve done nothing but undermine it.

        • HylicManoeuvre@sh.itjust.worksOPEnglish
          45·
          1 day ago

          I see also you have cranked up a few side accounts to upvote yourself.

          lmao got me Mr. Soft Rock 🤡

          I will just leave this without further comment, people reading your “contributions” can make up their own mind as to your credibility and whether or not it is I who has the agenda.

          Edit: For people actually interested in the science, here’s an interesting example of what opportunistic-carnivorous feeding would’ve looked like – underscoring the absurdity of talking about meat-eating in terms of preference in an anthropological/survival context.