Indonesian foragers may have sucked on mind-altering nuts 25,000 years ago, research finds

Live updates

1. 31d ago

   25,000-year-old teeth reveal ancient use of mind-altering betel nuts

   Analysis of 25,000-year-old human teeth from Sulawesi, Indonesia, reveals evidence of habitual betel nut use. The teeth show unusual wear patterns and chemical traces of arecoline, a mind-altering compound found in betel nuts. This discovery may represent the earliest known evidence of habitual drug use worldwide. The practice, which creates mild euphoria and heightened alertness, persists in the Asia-Pacific region today.

   Why it matters

   The use of betel nuts, the fourth most used psychoactive substance globally, has a long history. Betel nut consumption is associated with health risks, including oral cancer and tooth damage. The discovery pushes back the timeline for human drug use by thousands of years and suggests that the practice may have started as pain relief for toothaches.

   What is confirmed

   • Ancient human remains from Sulawesi suggest people were habitually using psychoactive betel nuts as far back as 25,000 years ago.
   • The practice of betel nut consumption creates mild euphoria and heightened alertness.
   • Betel nut is the fourth most used psychoactive substance in the world, trailing only nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol.
   • Prolonged use of betel nuts severely damaged the teeth of prehistoric hunter-gatherers.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The practice of betel nut consumption may have started partly as pain relief for toothaches.

   What to watch next

   • Further analysis of ancient teeth for signs of psychoactive substance use
   • Research on the health impacts of long-term betel nut consumption
   • Discovery of other ancient evidence of drug use
   Sources used for this update (8)

   1. www.sciencedaily.com — Ancient teeth reveal humans were getting high 25,000 years ago
   2. greentechnologyinvestments.com — The oldest evidence of psychoactive substance use may be ...
   3. economictimes.indiatimes.com — areca nut: Latest News & Videos, Photos about areca nut | The ...
   4. mixmag.asia — New research reveals early betel nut drug use in Indonesia
   5. icanews.org — Ancient Teeth in Sulawesi Indicate Habitual Betel Nut Use ...
   6. www.stephengrahamjones.com — Best Reads from Lately - Stephen Graham Jones
   7. economictimes.indiatimes.com — eras of ancient india News and Updates from The Economic ...
   8. www.theguardian.com — Ian Sample - The Guardian
   confidence 85%
2. 40d ago

   Ancient Sulawesi foragers used psychoactive betel nuts 25,000 years ago

   Analysis of dental remains from the last Ice Age indicates that hunter-gatherers in Sulawesi used betel nuts for their mind-altering effects. Researchers from Griffith University identified chemical signatures and wear patterns on the teeth consistent with sucking the seeds. Professor Adam Brumm notes that betel nut is the fourth most used psychoactive substance in the world, trailing only nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol. The practice creates mild euphoria and heightened alertness, a habit that persists in the Asia-Pacific region today despite associated health risks.

   Why it matters

   This discovery shows humans sought psychoactive experiences long before the advent of farming. It provides a chronological marker for the habitual use of mind-affecting plants in early human societies.

   What is confirmed

   • Ancient humans in Sulawesi used psychoactive betel nuts up to 25,000 years ago.
   • Betel nuts produce mild euphoria and heightened alertness.
   • Betel nut is the fourth most used psychoactive substance globally, following nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol.

   What to watch next

   • Analysis of additional dental remains from the same period to determine if use was widespread across the region
   Sources used for this update (2)

   1. www.kyuk.org — Betel nuts are a top mind-affecting substance. Now there's evidence of ancient use
   2. www.earth.com — Ancient teeth reveal humans were getting high 25,000 years ago
   confidence 100%
3. 45d ago

   Indonesian hunter-gatherer used psychoactive betel nuts 25,000 years ago

   Scientists from Griffith University identified an ancient Indonesian hunter-gatherer who used betel nuts for their mind-altering effects 25,000 years ago. Analysis of dental remains from the last Ice Age revealed chemical signatures and wear patterns consistent with sucking these nuts. Professor Adam Brumm stated that betel nut is the fourth most used psychoactive substance globally, following nicotine, caffeine, and alcohol. The nuts produce heightened alertness and mild euphoria, a practice that continues across the Asia-Pacific region today.

   Why it matters

   This discovery pushes back the known timeline of deliberate human drug use. It suggests that prehistoric populations sought out specific plants to alter their mental states during the Ice Age.

   What is confirmed

   • An ancient hunter-gatherer in Indonesia used mind-altering betel nuts 25,000 years ago.
   • Betel nut is the world's fourth most widely used psychoactive substance after alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine.
   • The nuts induce heightened alertness and a sense of mild euphoria.

   What to watch next

   • Analysis of additional dental remains from the same period to determine if this was a widespread cultural practice
   Sources used for this update (3)

   1. www.dailymail.com — Meet the world's oldest drug user: Indonesian hunter–gatherer got high on mind–altering nuts 25,000 years ago, study finds
   2. www.theguardian.com — Guardian University Guide
   3. www.vice.com — 25,000-Year-Old Teeth Reveal Ancient Humans Were Addicted to Nut Sucking
   confidence 100%
4. 49d ago

   Ancient Teeth Reveal Earliest Evidence of Human Drug Use

   New archaeological research indicates that foragers in Indonesia may have consumed mind-altering substances as long as 25,000 years ago. Scientists studying ancient teeth discovered traces pointing to the habitual use of intoxicating plants during the Ice Age. The findings suggest that human drug habits stretch back tens of thousands of years earlier than previously understood, altering our timeline of prehistoric consumption and addiction. Researchers identified wear patterns and chemical signatures linked to these mind-altering materials in the dental remains of ancient hunter-gatherers.

   Why it matters

   This discovery pushes the timeline of documented human drug use back by thousands of years. Scientists previously lacked direct physical proof of habitual substance use extending this deep into the prehistoric era. The findings offer rare insight into how early human populations interacted with mood-altering flora in ancient environments.

   What is confirmed

   • Indonesian foragers may have sucked on mind-altering nuts 25,000 years ago.
   • Ancient teeth reveal the earliest evidence of habitual drug use.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The individual regularly sucked on betel nuts, leading to worsening dental disease.

   What to watch next

   • Further dental analysis on other ancient remains from the region
   • Additional peer-reviewed publications detailing the chemical residues found on the teeth
   Sources used for this update (7)

   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. Phys.org — Ice Age origins of one of humanity's oldest drug habits discovered
   4. BBC — Drug use may have begun 25,000 years ago, new research finds
   5. Popular Science — Humans experimented with drugs 23,000 years earlier than we thought
   6. Science Daily — Ancient teeth reveal humans were getting high 25,000 years ago
   7. www.smithsonianmag.com — 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%