Ancient teeth reveal the Ice Age origins of the world’s 4th most common addictive drug
Indonesian foragers used mind-altering nuts as far back as 25,000 years ago, according to researchers analyzing ancient dental remains. This discovery marks the earliest known evidence of habitual drug use found in human teeth. The findings identify the Ice Age origins of the world's fourth most common addictive drug and provide a rare look at how prehistoric humans discovered and integrated psychoactive substances into their daily lives. Scientists are still evaluating the remains to determine the specific nature of the consumption.
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- ✓ Indonesian foragers may have used mind-altering nuts up to 25,000 years ago.
- ✓ The discovery represents the earliest evidence of drug use found in ancient teeth.
- ✓ The remains belonged to a hunter-gatherer.
- ✓ The substance used is the world's fourth most common addictive drug.
What changed
Updated report clarifies that the findings focus on the discovery and daily integration of psychoactive substances by prehistoric humans.
Live updates
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Ice Age teeth reveal early human use of addictive psychoactive nuts
Indonesian foragers used mind-altering nuts as far back as 25,000 years ago, according to researchers analyzing ancient dental remains. This discovery marks the earliest known evidence of habitual drug use found in human teeth. The findings identify the Ice Age origins of the world's fourth most common addictive drug and provide a rare look at how prehistoric humans discovered and integrated psychoactive substances into their daily lives. Scientists are still evaluating the remains to determine the specific nature of the consumption.
Why it matters
Understanding early drug use helps researchers track the evolution of human behavior and the discovery of stimulants, narcotics, and hallucinogens. This evidence pushes back the known timeline for human experimentation with psychoactive substances. It provides a data point for how Ice Age hunter-gatherers interacted with their environment.
What is confirmed
- Indonesian foragers may have used mind-altering nuts up to 25,000 years ago.
- The discovery represents the earliest evidence of drug use found in ancient teeth.
- The remains belonged to a hunter-gatherer.
- The substance used is the world's fourth most common addictive drug.
What to watch next
- Identification of the specific nut species used by the foragers
- Further dental analysis to determine the frequency of the drug use
confidence 100%Sources used for this update (6)
- www.dailyexcelsior.com — Ancient teeth reveal the Ice Age origins of the world's 4th most common addictive drug
- www.yahoo.com — Photos: Rare Ice Age tooth discovered in California preserve after thousands of years
- Phys.org — The surprising history of woolly rhinos: They weren't always creatures of the frozen north
- www.dtnext.in — Ancient teeth reveal the Ice Age origins of the world’s 4th most common addictive drug
- Phys.org — New species of 240-million-year-old prehistoric animal could reshape dinosaur origins timeline
- www.smithsonianmag.com — A Geologist in California Found Something Strange Sticking Out of a Creek. A Reverse Image Search Told Her It Was an Ancient Mastodon Tooth
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Ancient teeth reveal Ice Age origins of drug use
Researchers analyzing ancient teeth discovered that Indonesian foragers may have sucked on mind-altering nuts up to 25,000 years ago. This finding represents the earliest evidence of drug use in old teeth, pushing back timelines for human drug experimentation significantly. Archaeologists uncovered the oldest evidence of habitual drug use in the remains of a hunter-gatherer. The discovery illuminates early human habits and consumption of the world's fourth most common addictive drug during the Ice Age. Scientists continue to evaluate the dental remains to understand the exact nature of this ancient psychoactive consumption.
Why it matters
This discovery pushes the timeline of human drug experimentation back by thousands of years, shifting scientific understanding of ancient behaviors during the Ice Age. Previous timelines lacked direct physical evidence of habitual consumption from such an early period in Southeast Asia. Analyzing ancient dental remains provides direct chemical clues about what foraging populations ingested.
What is confirmed
- Indonesian foragers may have sucked on mind-altering nuts 25,000 years ago.
- Archaeologists discovered the world's oldest evidence of habitual drug use in the teeth of a hunter-gatherer who lived up to 25,000 years ago.
What to watch next
- Further chemical analysis of the ancient teeth to confirm the exact substance consumed.
- Additional archaeological excavations in Indonesia for related artifacts.
confidence 90%Sources used for this update (5)
- The New York Times — Scientists Discover the Earliest Evidence of Drug Use in Really Old Teeth
- The Guardian — Indonesian foragers may have sucked on mind-altering nuts 25,000 years ago, research finds
- The Conversation — Ancient teeth reveal the Ice Age origins of the world’s 4th most common addictive drug
- Popular Science — Humans experimented with drugs 23,000 years earlier than we thought
- Smithsonian Magazine — Archaeologists Discover the World's Oldest Evidence of Habitual Drug Use in the Teeth of a Hunter-Gatherer Who Lived Up to 25,000 Years Ago
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