Their “rotted” teeth reveal shocking drug use going back 25,000 years

Live updates

1. 10d ago

   Sulawesi Teeth Provide Earliest Evidence of Psychoactive Substance Use

   Ancient human remains from Sulawesi, Indonesia, reveal that hunter-gatherers used psychoactive betel nuts 25,000 years ago. Researchers identified this habit through deep, rounded grooves in the teeth and a molecule trapped in the tooth tissues. This discovery marks the earliest known instance of humans regularly consuming mind-altering substances. The habitual use of the stimulant occurred during the Ice Age, long before the development of agriculture. These findings demonstrate a prehistoric drive to alter consciousness or manage pain through local plant seeds.

   Why it matters

   Betel nut is a stimulant commonly used across the Pacific and Southeast Asia. Finding this behavior in Ice Age foragers shifts the timeline for human drug use. It suggests psychoactive habits existed independently of settled farming societies.

   What is confirmed

   • Human remains from Sulawesi date back 25,000 years.
   • The remains show evidence of habitual betel nut consumption.
   • Physical evidence includes deep, rounded grooves and unusual wear on the teeth.
   • The users were Ice Age hunter-gatherers who lived before the arrival of agriculture.
   • A molecule associated with the substance was found trapped in the tooth tissues.

   What to watch next

   • Analysis of additional prehistoric remains in Southeast Asia to determine the geographic spread of the habit
   • Further chemical testing to identify other psychoactive plants used by Ice Age humans
   Sources used for this update (10)

   1. www.sciencedaily.com — Ancient DNA 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. www.techno-science.net — What humanity was getting high on 25,000 years ago
   6. icanews.org — Ancient Teeth in Sulawesi Indicate Habitual Betel Nut Use ...
   7. bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com — Ancient Betel Nut Use: Insights from Ice Age Teeth
   8. www.birdsadvice.com — 25,000-Year-Old Teeth Reveal One of Humanity’s Oldest Drug Habits
   9. www.dental-tribune.com — Ancient tooth wear reveals earliest evidence of drug use
   10. dentalnewsnetwork.com — Historical teeth put on finds earliest proof of drug use
   confidence 95%
2. 23d ago

   Sulawesi teeth provide evidence of psychoactive drug use 25,000 years ago

   Ancient human remains in Sulawesi show that prehistoric foragers used psychoactive betel nuts up to 25,000 years ago. Chemical markers and physical grooves in the teeth indicate habitual use of the plant seed. This behavior occurred long before the start of farming. The discovery establishes the earliest known instance of humans regularly consuming mind-altering substances, suggesting that Ice Age hunter-gatherers sought these effects for reasons such as pain relief.

   Why it matters

   Betel nuts remain popular in parts of Asia today despite associated health risks. These findings shift the timeline of human drug use significantly further back than previous archaeological records suggested.

   What is confirmed

   • People in Sulawesi used psychoactive betel nuts up to 25,000 years ago.
   • The use of these mind-affecting plant seeds occurred before the beginning of farming.
   • Habitual betel nut use left distinct chemical markers and grooves in ancient teeth.

   What to watch next

   • Identification of other psychoactive substances in Ice Age remains
   • Analysis of additional dental remains from the same region
   Sources used for this update (2)

   1. www.kalw.org — Ancient teeth pose a mystery: What made those strange grooves?
   2. www.earth.com — Ancient teeth reveal humans were getting high 25,000 years ago
   confidence 100%
3. 26d ago

   Ancient Teeth Reveal Psychoactive Nut Use 25,000 Years Ago

   Chemical traces in 25,000-year-old teeth from Indonesian foragers show the earliest known evidence of habitual psychoactive substance use. These Ice Age hunter-gatherers regularly used betel nuts, which left distinct patterns and chemical markers in their dental remains. The discovery suggests prehistoric humans deliberately used mind-altering substances for purposes including pain relief. This finding pushes the known timeline of human drug use significantly further back than previous records indicated.

   Why it matters

   The study analyzed rotted dental remains to identify prehistoric habits. Betel nuts contain psychoactive properties that alter consciousness. This evidence shifts the understanding of early human behavior and medicinal practices.

   What is confirmed

   • Ancient teeth from 25,000 years ago contain traces of psychoactive betel nut.
   • The findings indicate humans used mind-altering substances earlier than previously believed.

   Still unconfirmed

   • The betel nut was used specifically as a prehistoric painkiller.
   • Ancient humans were addicted to the practice of nut sucking.

   What to watch next

   • Identification of other psychoactive substances in contemporaneous Ice Age sites
   • Peer review of the chemical analysis regarding pain relief properties
   Sources used for this update (2)

   1. www.vice.com — 25,000-Year-Old Teeth Reveal Ancient Humans Were Addicted to Nut Sucking
   2. www.yahoo.com — Scientists Found Evidence of the World’s Oldest Drug Habit in 25,000-Year-Old Teeth
   confidence 90%
4. 29d ago

   Teeth Reveal 25,000-Year-Old Drug Use

   Ancient teeth recovered from Indonesian foragers indicate the earliest known evidence of habitual drug use, dating back 25,000 years into the Ice Age. Archaeologists discovered that these hunter-gatherers may have regularly sucked on psychoactive betel nuts. The findings push the recorded history of psychoactive substance use much further back in time than previously documented. Researchers analyzed the rotted dental remains to uncover this prehistoric habit.

   Why it matters

   This discovery sheds light on early human dietary and cultural practices during the Ice Age. Understanding the timeline of psychoactive substance use helps scientists trace how ancient human populations interacted with their local botanical environments. The evidence shifts the known origins of habitual drug consumption significantly deeper into prehistory.

   What is confirmed

   • Indonesian foragers may have sucked on mind-altering nuts 25,000 years ago.
   • Ancient teeth suggest humans were using psychoactive betel nuts, pushing the history of habitual drug use deep into the Ice Age.

   What to watch next

   • Further dental analysis from other prehistoric sites in the region
   • Additional peer-reviewed studies detailing the chemical residue on the ancient teeth
   Sources used for this update (6)

   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. 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
   4. cnn.com — Commonly used psychoactive substance may have prehistoric origins
   5. Futura, le média qui explore le monde — Their “rotted” teeth reveal shocking drug use going back 25,000 years
   6. scitechdaily.com — A 25,000-Year-Old Drug Habit Was Hidden in Ancient Teeth
   confidence 90%