my take based on several such articles. 8-10M ago humans (big apes that we were back then) got the ability to metabolize alcohol, ie. all those plentiful of fermenting/rotting fruit on the ground became food. That in particular allowed for less tree climbing, more walking on the floor. That, in particular for the purposes of self-defense and body calories storage - to more body mass - that in turn to less tree climbing, more walking (posture change, hands more "handy"). How far the walking? Well, about 2M ago (clocked by the divergent mutations in the tapeworm shared by hyenas and humans, and which has a lifecycle stage in antelope/gazelle) humans got additional powerful energy source - started to scavenge carcasses in savannah, ie. meat eating. That naturally led to the tools (more specifically - weapons) use - hyena has teeth, yet we had hands and the bones to be used as a weapon were right were so to speak. Sticks and stones would do to. Hyenas chances weren't good. Pack of hyenas - well, we were also walking the savannah not alone. So the tools(weapons) usage, pack/tribal organization, energetic food source - that all leads to brain development as well as enabled and improved by such a development. Other fermented foods, food storage and fire seems to be seemingly important points associated with improved tools, social organization and associated brain development.
Study puts fermented foods, not fire, as pivotal moment in human brain growth
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Re: Study puts fermented foods, not fire, as pivotal moment in human brain growth
#32This is a conjecture, not a study. Sorry if that seems to be nitpicking, but I see too many "studies" like this. A study is supposed to report the truth of something that the author studied. But this is an idea that the author liked and explored, and then wrote up. Maybe we can keep calling these studies, and come up with another term for fact based studies. And not "theory" please, that word in a scientific context…
That is not at all how science works. Outside of Mathematics, there is no such thing as Truth, only conjectures of varying certainties. Also, research journals are really just fancy forum boards where researchers in a particular fields talk to each other, and even occasionally shit talk. They aren't ever supposed to be a source of truth, and in fact the first thing we learnt as grad student is how to critically read…
If I report that "I did this, and then this happened". That's close enough to the truth to call it that. It's available in not just Mathematics: Chemistry, Physics for example.
Then you have the type: "I saw this interesting thing", and that's also close enough to the truth. Geology, Astronomy, Archeology are examples.
That's a study.
But if I look at my own navel and decide "I like this idea because it makes sense to me", that's not a study. That type should get a different name. Theoretical Physics is the high quality version of this.
I'm not saying there's no value in this type of thing!! Just that it's not a study.
Maybe call them "research papers".
> Sometimes I think Google Scholars is a mistake. The general public aren't supposed to be exposed to research literature.
Yikes!!! So basically you want people to be sheep and just listen to what they are told, with no access to underlying material?
I'd rather people look at the source, and understand it poorly, vs not look at it at all.
Re: Study puts fermented foods, not fire, as pivotal moment in human brain growth
#33Earlier quoted context omitted.
Potatoes are native to the Americas https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potato But there are other starches too.
When it comes to the "Columbian Exchange" [0] there are quite a lot of animals and plants the people today will (wrongly) assume have existed somewhere since antiquity. (Italian tomatoes, Irish potatoes, wild horses in the American midwest, etc.) [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbian_exchange
Horses are actually endemic to North America, died out around 5,000 years ago and were then re-introduced a few hundred years ago. Kinda crazy.
Re: Study puts fermented foods, not fire, as pivotal moment in human brain growth
#34I make fermented fizzy enzyme drinks at home all the time, no soft drinks anymore. It has to be all the time as it is a perpetual drink. You buy on of those fancy hipster live enzyme drinks, but you never finish it. Just and juice, sugar, jam - whatever what bacteria like and it continues fermentation. At room temperature. Every two days it is ready again, drink it, feed it. If it is too active, put it in a fridge. I…
>fizzy enzyme drinks
Do you mean kombucha? Kefir?
Re: Study puts fermented foods, not fire, as pivotal moment in human brain growth
#35I make fermented fizzy enzyme drinks at home all the time, no soft drinks anymore. It has to be all the time as it is a perpetual drink. You buy on of those fancy hipster live enzyme drinks, but you never finish it. Just and juice, sugar, jam - whatever what bacteria like and it continues fermentation. At room temperature. Every two days it is ready again, drink it, feed it. If it is too active, put it in a fridge. I…
In the Netherlands it's called water and kefir. Good stuff indeed, especially during summer and basically free at the cost tapwater. No plastic packaging either! Those hipster might actually be onto something ;)
Kombucha is another one.
Re: Study puts fermented foods, not fire, as pivotal moment in human brain growth
#36I'm thinking they ate partially digested and fermented food in their preys stomachs.
Re: Study puts fermented foods, not fire, as pivotal moment in human brain growth
#37Earlier quoted context omitted.
I must be missing something. That sounds like encasing some rapidly rotting meat inside more rotting meat. A significantly less appealing turducken. It would take some strong convictions to turn multiple meals now (seal + bird) into a future meal that could potentially be stolen by scavengers.
From wikipedia: Up to 500 whole auks are packed into the seal skin, beaks and feathers included. As much air as possible is removed from the seal skin before it is sewn up and sealed with seal fat, which repels flies. It is then hidden in a heap of stones, with a large rock placed on top to keep the air out. Over the course of three months, the birds ferment, and are then eaten during the Arctic winter, particularly…
Well...that is certainly something.
I am still bewildered as to how the method was discovered. Taking valuable seals and birds to run multi-month experiments does not seem like it would make you a popular fellow. Best case scenario, you discovered a way of making what sounds a vile, but technically edible, flesh paste.
The extended quote from the Wikipedia page notes some people have died from preparing it improperly
Polar explorer Knud Rasmussen's death is attributed to food poisoning by kiviaq.[5][6] In August 2013 several people died in Siorapaluk from eating kiviak that was made from eider rather than auk. Eider does not ferment as well as auk, and those who ate it contracted botulism.[7]Re: Study puts fermented foods, not fire, as pivotal moment in human brain growth
#38Fermented foods, especially yogurt, kefir, buttermilk are vital for good health. People buy probiotic pills etc. But all it takes is to buy a tub/can of Greek yogurt. The best snack there is. Medicine is food, food is medicine.
Have you tried fermented fish? It was very good when I tried it. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prahok
I would imagine you are also getting omega-3 from the fish.
Re: Study puts fermented foods, not fire, as pivotal moment in human brain growth
#39It's not long now before some celebrity chef starts knocking out recipe books featuring fermented giraffe and describing it as a "true Paleo" diet.
Re: Study puts fermented foods, not fire, as pivotal moment in human brain growth
#40reminds me of high meat
recently learned that you need nitric oxide, and when you don't eat veggies, you can still get it from salami, which is fermented meat.
Also trying to make garum these days, will take half a year until it's done though.