January 2025 PMID 39761385

Starch-rich plant foods 780,000 y ago: Evidence from Acheulian percussive stone tools.

Hadar Ahituv, Amanda G Henry, Yoel Melamed, Naama Goren-Inbar, Corrie Bakels, Lyudmila Shumilovskikh, Dan Cabanes, Jeffery R Stone, Walter F Rowe, Nira Alperson-Afil

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Mentions

110

Peak: 16 in Jan 2025

across 7 sources since Jan 2025

Extended reach

293,243

potential audience

Total likes

1,396

Video views

53,480

Mentions per month

Jan 2025 – Aug 2025

Where it's discussed

News60 articles
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Blogs11 articles
Bluesky9 posts
Facebook3 posts
Reddit3 posts
YouTube2 videos

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The discussions highlight enthusiasm for the significance of the findings, with posts emphasizing how the evidence of plant processing tools from 780,000 years ago demonstrates advanced cognitive skills. Phrases like 'tools, techniques, deep knowledge' and references to social structures reflect an engaged and supportive attitude towards the research, while some comments connect the findings to broader theories like the origins of East Asians and their plant-based diets, indicating a moderate impact on understanding human history.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions support the idea that early humans consumed starch-rich plants, as evidenced by the tool analysis, showing general consensus with the findings.

InterestHigh interest

The topic of ancient diets and cognitive abilities resonates strongly with those interested in anthropology and human evolution, leading to high interest scores.

EngagementModerate engagement

Some discussions delve into social implications and broader connections, indicating moderate engagement beyond surface acknowledgment.

ImpactModerate impact

The publication appears to reinforce and expand current understanding of early human diets and cognition, suggesting a moderate but meaningful impact.

Abstract in brief

Wild plants require complex processing techniques and cognitive skills, unlike simpler animal foods, which may have delayed their incorporation into early human diets.
Analysis of ancient starch grains on tools from Gesher Benot Ya'aqov, dating back 780,000 years, shows that Middle Pleistocene hominins processed a variety of plants.
These findings suggest that early humans had advanced cognitive abilities, enabling them to gather and process diverse plant resources effectively.

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Shendonawa

@Garcia11Illiana · X

RT @shi_huang5: East Asians’ food is mainly plant-based. As the earliest modern humans, this means that their food back then was also mainl…

Jul 13, 2025 · 3 shares · 32 followers View post →

/pʰis/

@P_Schallert · X

@JohnPliskin6 @Zhane_Star you haven't read the science then. 1) https://t.co/G82Ah5NDi1 2) https://t.co/g5DI1RqQse 3) https://t.co/sF4NxUHTgg 4) https://t.co/rJOFZ0z83r 5) https://t.co/YaScTRtDTD

Jun 2, 2025 · 44 followers View post →

cottonjenny.bsky.social

@cottonjenny.bsky.social · Bluesky

Starch-rich plant foods 780,000 y ago: Evidence from Acheulian percussive stone tools | PNAS www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

May 6, 2025 View post →

Smita Srinivas

@Smita_Srinivas · X

PNAS. Ahituv et al. 2025. Tools, techniques, deep knowledge. "[..]starch-rich plants played a central role in the diet of ancient hunter-gatherers." and "The use of tools to process plants suggests a high level of cooperation and social structure [..]." https://t.co/iRZMJWgo8t

Apr 16, 2025 · 1,419 followers View post →

Tridactyls

@tridactyls · X

RT @shi_huang5: East Asians’ food is mainly plant-based. As the earliest modern humans, this means that their food back then was also mainl…

Apr 12, 2025 · 3 shares · 3,959 followers View post →

beelibers

@beelibers · X

RT @shi_huang5: East Asians’ food is mainly plant-based. As the earliest modern humans, this means that their food back then was also mainl…

Apr 12, 2025 · 3 shares · 81 followers View post →

Shi Huang 黄石

@shi_huang5 · X

Apr 12, 2025 · 13 likes · 3 shares · 7,741 followers View post →

@AdsPadman · X