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The Independent
6 days ago
- Science
- The Independent
Want a glass of wine with dinner? Blame our ape ancestors
Craving a glass of wine with your dinner? The dietary habits of our ape ancestors may be to blame. To better understand the relationship between humans and alcohol, researchers are studying the animals' fondness for fermented and fallen fruit, newly referred to as 'scrumping.' "Scrumping by the last common ancestor of gorillas, chimpanzees, and humans about 10 million years ago could explain why humans are so astoundingly good at digesting alcohol," Nathaniel Dominy, the Charles Hansen Professor of Anthropology at Dartmouth College, said in a statement. "We evolved to metabolize alcohol long before we ever figured out how to make it, and making it was one of the major drivers of the Neolithic Revolution that turned us from hunter-gatherers into farmers and changed the world,' he added. Fermentation is the process by which bacteria and other microorganisms break down sugars into substances such as alcohols or acids. All of the alcohol we drink is made this way. When you drink alcohol, you get drunk because you're consuming faster than your metabolism can handle. In apes, researchers said this doesn't seem to be the case. Geneticists previously reported that eating fermented fruit may have led to a biological change in the last common ancestor of humans and African apes that boosted their ability to metabolize alcohol by 40 times. However, no one had the data to test it, and scientists had not differentiated fruit in the trees from that on the ground when studying the primates since then. "It just wasn't on our radar," Dominy explained. "It's not that primatologists have never seen scrumping — they observe it pretty regularly. But the absence of a word for it has disguised its importance.' The team wanted to know what significance scrumping had for human evolution so analyzed previous research on dietary habits of orangutans, chimpanzees, and mountain and western gorillas in the wild. The studies included thousands of scans of the primates eating fruit. If an ape at ground level was recorded eating fruit known to grow in the middle or upper levels of the forest canopy, it was counted as scrumping. Of the three species, African apes were found to 'scrump' regularly, while orangutans did not. To better understand chimpanzees' alcohol consumption, the researchers will next measure the levels of fermentation in fruits in trees, versus that on the ground. The researchers said their findings confirm results of past research which had also found that the primary enzyme for metabolizing ethanol — found in alcoholic beverages — is relatively inefficient in orangutans and other non-human primates. The researchers believe that the African apes' ability to metabolize ethanol may let them safely consume a whopping 10 pounds of fruit each day. That level of intake suggests exposure to ethanol could be a significant component of chimpanzee life, and a major force of human evolution. Humans may have retained the social aspects that apes bring to scrumping, Catherine Hobaiter, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at St Andrews, said. "A fundamental feature of our relationship with alcohol is our tendency to drink together, whether a pint with friends or a large social feast," she added. "The next step is to investigate how shared feeding on fermented fruits might also influence social relationships in other apes."
Irish Independent
01-08-2025
- Science
- Irish Independent
‘Scrumping' apes started human drinking culture, new research suggests
Human drinking culture may owe a debt to great apes who forage boozy fermented fruit from the forest floor, scientists believe. Although intentionally fermented drinks date from the Neolithic period, humans' ability to metabolise alcohol happened far earlier, and is likely to have evolved in our primate ancestors. A new study, by the University of St Andrews and Dartmouth College, shows that our closest relatives still 'scrump' fallen fruit. Scientists believe that similar behaviour millions of years ago could have driven the single amino acid change in human biology that allowed our ancestors to safely process ethanol. 'Scrumping by the last common ancestor of gorillas, chimpanzees and humans about 10 million years ago could explain why humans are so astoundingly good at digesting alcohol,' said Nathaniel Dominy, a professor of anthropology at Dartmouth. 'We evolved to metabolise alcohol long before we ever figured out how to make it, and making it was one of the major drivers of the Neolithic Revolution that turned us from hunter-gatherers into farmers and changed the world.' Scrumping is the act of gathering or sometimes stealing wind-fallen apples and other fruits. Previous studies of the human genome have shown that the ability to process alcohol dates from around 10 million years ago, about the same time when our ancestors were moving from the trees to the ground. Great apes such as gorillas, who shared an ancestor with humans between eight and 10 million years ago also possess the same enzyme that helps them efficiently break down ethanol like humans. For the new study, researchers looked into how often apes such as chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans foraged fallen fruit from the ground. The researchers found that African apes 'scrump' on a regular basis, but orangutans do not. Scrumping fruit may have also triggered social drinking. Experts believe that metabolising ethanol may let African apes safely eat the ripe, fermented fruit they find on the ground, and give them an extra advantage over monkeys who could only eat unripe fruit from trees. Scrumping fruit on the ground may also have triggered another human trait − social drinking. Catherine Hobaiter, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at St Andrews said: 'A fundamental feature of our relationship with alcohol is our tendency to drink together, whether a pint with friends or a large social feast.' The study was published in the journal Bioscience.
The Irish Sun
31-07-2025
- Science
- The Irish Sun
Humans' love of booze comes from ape ancestors who ate fermented rotten fruit, major study finds
HUMANS' love of booze comes from ape ancestors who ate fermented rotten fruit in the jungle, a study suggests. Scrumping by past primates explains why we evolved to be so 'astoundingly good at digesting alcohol', researchers believe. Advertisement They say evidence from modern apes sheds a light on humans' fondness for alcohol — first produced deliberately in China about 9,000 years ago. Experts point out that today's apes polish off up to 10lb of It means the chimpanzees and gorillas end up spending a lot of their time tipsy. Researcher Professor Nathaniel Dominy, from Dartmouth College, US, said: 'Scrumping by the last common ancestor of gorillas, chimpanzees and humans about ten million years ago could explain why humans are so astoundingly good at digesting alcohol. Advertisement read more on health 'We evolved to metabolise alcohol long before we ever figured out how to make it.' He added: 'Making it was one of the major drivers of the Neolithic Revolution that turned us from hunter-gatherers into farmers and changed the world. "Primatologists observe this pretty regularly but there has been an absence of a word for it.' The team used the word 'scrumping' — normally meaning stealing fruit — in the journal BioScience. Advertisement Most read in Health Exclusive Study co-author Professor Catherine Hobaiter, from the University of St Andrews in Scotland, added: 'A fundamental feature of our relationship with alcohol is our tendency to drink together, whether a pint with friends or a large social feast.' 1 Humans love of booze comes from ape ancestors who ate fermented rotten fruit in the jungle, a study suggests Credit: Getty Incredible photo shows wild chimps sharing boozy fruit for first time Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
Scottish Sun
31-07-2025
- Science
- Scottish Sun
Humans' love of booze comes from ape ancestors who ate fermented rotten fruit, major study finds
Booze was first produced by humans 9,000 years ago in China KING OF THE SWIGGERS Humans' love of booze comes from ape ancestors who ate fermented rotten fruit, major study finds HUMANS' love of booze comes from ape ancestors who ate fermented rotten fruit in the jungle, a study suggests. Scrumping by past primates explains why we evolved to be so 'astoundingly good at digesting alcohol', researchers believe. They say evidence from modern apes sheds a light on humans' fondness for alcohol — first produced deliberately in China about 9,000 years ago. Experts point out that today's apes polish off up to 10lb of mouldy jungle floor fruit a day which ferments and becomes alcoholic as it breaks down. It means the chimpanzees and gorillas end up spending a lot of their time tipsy. Researcher Professor Nathaniel Dominy, from Dartmouth College, US, said: 'Scrumping by the last common ancestor of gorillas, chimpanzees and humans about ten million years ago could explain why humans are so astoundingly good at digesting alcohol. 'We evolved to metabolise alcohol long before we ever figured out how to make it.' He added: 'Making it was one of the major drivers of the Neolithic Revolution that turned us from hunter-gatherers into farmers and changed the world. "Primatologists observe this pretty regularly but there has been an absence of a word for it.' The team used the word 'scrumping' — normally meaning stealing fruit — in the journal BioScience. Study co-author Professor Catherine Hobaiter, from the University of St Andrews in Scotland, added: 'A fundamental feature of our relationship with alcohol is our tendency to drink together, whether a pint with friends or a large social feast.' 1 Humans love of booze comes from ape ancestors who ate fermented rotten fruit in the jungle, a study suggests Credit: Getty Incredible photo shows wild chimps sharing boozy fruit for first time Unlock even more award-winning articles as The Sun launches brand new membership programme - Sun Club.
Metro
03-07-2025
- Science
- Metro
How one skeleton upended how historians view Ancient Egypt
A skeleton found in a 4,500-year-old ceramic pot has rewritten the history of Ancient Egypt. A DNA test on the man's bones has upended how historians could view the rise of Ancient Egyptian civilisation. The skeleton, found 165 miles south of Cairo at Nuwayrat, belongs to a 60-year-old potter who lived between 2855–2570 BC. However, researchers have revealed that a fifth of his DNA came from ancestors living 9,000 miles away in Mesopotamia, in modern-day Iraq. It is the first direct evidence that the two legendary cultures influenced each other through migration as far back as 10,000 years ago. Mesopotamia is the site of the earliest developments of the Neolithic Revolution from around 10,000 BC, when people began to farm and domesticate animals. This led to the formation of an agricultural society. Egyptologists had theorised that this revolution contributed to similar development in Egypt, with this DNA now proving their case. This is because it shows migration from West Asia towards Egypt, meaning information could have been passed on when migrants arrived at the Nile. This new information could explain how Egypt went from simple farming communities to becoming one of the most powerful civilisations on Earth. Adeline Morez Jacobs, who analysed the remains as part of her PhD at Liverpool John Moores University, told BBC News: 'You have two regions developing the first writing systems, so archaeologists believe that they were in contact and exchanging ideas. Now we have the evidence that they were. 'We hope that future DNA samples from Ancient Egypt can expand on when precisely this movement from West Asia started and its extent.' While researchers did caution that this study only considered the case of one man, who could have been an anomaly due to his high-status burial, they say their findings support other evidence that Mesopotamian culture had reached Egypt, likely through migration. Egypt specialists have unearthed a lot more information about this Egyptian potter than just his migrant heritage. Despite his job, his body was placed in a large pot inside a rock-cut tomb, usually reserved for the Egyptian upper class. This burial, which took place before mummification was the norm, likely helped preserve his DNA, which was taken from bone in his inner ear. He is predicted to have had brown eyes, brown hair and dark to black skin and was 5ft 2in (1.57m). The Nuwayrat man also lived to an advanced old age, with his worn teeth and osteoarthritis indicating he could have died as late as 64 years. Experts believe certain skeletal features point to his work as a potter, including an enlarged hook-shaped bone at the back of his skull, meaning he looked down a lot. Professor Joel Irish at Liverpool John Moores University said: 'He worked his tail off. He's worked his entire life. 'What I wanted to do was to find out who this guy was, learn as much about him as possible. What his age was, his stature was, what he did for a living and to try and personalise the whole thing rather than treat him as a cold specimen.' More Trending The Nuwayrat man's life also coincided with the beginning of the legendary Old Kingdom in Egypt's history, which witnessed the building of the 'Great Pyramid of Giza' by King Khufu. The ability of scientists to extract and read DNA from ancient bones could trigger a wave of discoveries about Ancient Egypt. Prof Pontus Skoglund at the Francis Crick Institute explained: 'If we get more DNA information and put it side by side with what we know from archaeological, cultural, and written information we have from the time, it will be very exciting.' It also allows experts to look at history from the perspective of ordinary people, through written records from rich and powerful people. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Man stabbed through armour during historic re-enactment gone wrong MORE: Cabin crew calls on passengers to subdue air rage woman demanding upgrade MORE: Moment cargo ship crashes into Suez Canal port as workers flee
