Ancient teeth reveal the Ice Age origins of the world’s 4th most common addictive drug

Live updates

1. 27d ago

   25,000-Year-Old Teeth Reveal Ice Age Betel Nut Use

   Human teeth from Sulawesi, Indonesia, show evidence of betel nut use dating back 25,000 years, pushing the known origins of this practice into the Ice Age. This marks the earliest known evidence of habitual drug use in human remains. Researchers found unusual tooth wear patterns and molecules trapped in tooth tissues, indicating a long history of betel nut consumption. Betel nut is the world's fourth most common addictive drug.

   Why it matters

   The discovery provides insights into the lives of Ice Age hunter-foragers and the early use of psychoactive substances. Betel nut, a mind-altering substance, is widely used today and has a significant impact on dental health. The findings suggest that humans have been using substances to alter consciousness for tens of thousands of years. This challenges previous assumptions about the origins of drug use in human societies.

   What is confirmed

   • Betel nut use dates back 25,000 years in Sulawesi, Indonesia.
   • The practice of consuming betel nuts originated in the Ice Age.
   • Betel nut is the world's fourth most common addictive drug.
   • Unusual tooth wear patterns and molecules trapped in tooth tissues indicate betel nut consumption.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The exact nature of how prehistoric humans integrated betel nuts into their daily routines is still being evaluated.

   What to watch next

   • Further analysis of the dental remains to determine the extent of betel nut use
   • Investigation of betel nut use in other ancient human populations
   • Research on the impact of betel nut use on dental health in modern populations
   Sources used for this update (11)

   1. www.sciencedaily.com — Strange & Offbeat News -- ScienceDaily
   2. www.sciencedaily.com — Anthropology News -- ScienceDaily
   3. greentechnologyinvestments.com — The oldest evidence of psychoactive substance use may be ...
   4. mixmag.asia — New research reveals early betel nut drug use in Indonesia
   5. bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com — Ancient Betel Nut Use: Insights from Ice Age Teeth
   6. www.ganjingworld.com — Ancient Teeth Reveal the Ice Age Origins of the World’s 4th ...
   7. www.birdsadvice.com — 25,000-Year-Old Teeth Reveal One of Humanity’s Oldest Drug Habits
   8. tech.yahoo.com — X-rays reveal what the 'oldest reptile' fossil was hiding
   9. www.dental-tribune.com — Ancient tooth wear reveals earliest evidence of drug use
   10. en.wikipedia.org — Methamphetamine - Wikipedia
   11. mediabias.news — The Conversation media bias and reliability — MediaBias News
   confidence 85%
2. 39d ago

   Ancient Teeth Reveal Ice Age Use of Betel Nuts in Sulawesi

   Human teeth discovered in Sulawesi show that people were consuming psychoactive betel nuts as early as 25,000 years ago, pushing the known origins of the practice far back into the Ice Age before the advent of farming. This marks the earliest known evidence of habitual drug use in human remains. While the presence of these mind-altering nuts is established, researchers are still evaluating the dental remains to determine the exact nature of how prehistoric humans integrated these substances into their daily routines.

   Why it matters

   This discovery sheds light on the long history of human interaction with psychoactive substances, demonstrating that such habits predated settled agriculture. The findings offer a rare window into prehistoric daily life and the antiquity of substance use.

   What is confirmed

   • People in Sulawesi were using psychoactive betel nuts up to 25,000 years ago, long before farming began.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Researchers continue to evaluate the remains to define the specific nature of the consumption.

   What to watch next

   • Further evaluation of the dental remains to define the specific nature of consumption.
   Sources used for this update (2)

   1. www.earth.com — Ancient teeth reveal humans were getting high 25,000 years ago
   2. www.zmescience.com — A Scientist Wading Through a California Creek Found a 10,000 Year Old Mastodon Tooth in Immaculate Condition
   confidence 100%
3. 42d ago

   Ancient dental analysis links Ice Age foragers to addictive drug use

   Indonesian foragers used mind-altering nuts 25,000 years ago, marking the earliest known evidence of habitual drug use found in human teeth. This discovery identifies the Ice Age origins of the world's fourth most common addictive drug. While the presence of these substances is confirmed, researchers continue to evaluate the remains to define the specific nature of the consumption. This finding provides a rare window into how prehistoric humans integrated psychoactive substances into their daily lives.

   Why it matters

   The study relies on analyzing ancient dental remains to trace human behavior. Understanding these early habits helps scientists map the evolution of drug use. The specific drug is identified as the fourth most common addictive substance globally.

   What to watch next

   • Results from the ongoing evaluation of remains regarding the nature of consumption
   Sources used for this update (3)

   1. Phys.org — Tyrannosaurus rex teeth reveal a body temperature close to the human average
   2. www.sciencedaily.com — A 240-million-year-old fossil just changed the dinosaur timeline
   3. www.earth.com — Ancient jawed fishes solved the biting problem in a variety of ways
   confidence 100%
4. 45d ago

   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
   Sources used for this update (6)

   1. www.dailyexcelsior.com — Ancient teeth reveal the Ice Age origins of the world's 4th most common addictive drug
   2. www.yahoo.com — Photos: Rare Ice Age tooth discovered in California preserve after thousands of years
   3. Phys.org — The surprising history of woolly rhinos: They weren't always creatures of the frozen north
   4. www.dtnext.in — Ancient teeth reveal the Ice Age origins of the world’s 4th most common addictive drug
   5. Phys.org — New species of 240-million-year-old prehistoric animal could reshape dinosaur origins timeline
   6. 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
   confidence 100%
5. 49d ago

   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.
   Sources used for this update (5)

   1. The New York Times — Scientists Discover the Earliest Evidence of Drug Use in Really Old Teeth
   2. The Guardian — Indonesian foragers may have sucked on mind-altering nuts 25,000 years ago, research finds
   3. The Conversation — Ancient teeth reveal the Ice Age origins of the world’s 4th most common addictive drug
   4. Popular Science — Humans experimented with drugs 23,000 years earlier than we thought
   5. 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
   confidence 90%