Tag: Evolutionary biology

For millennia, our hunter-gatherer ancestors rarely encountered sugar, and when they did, it was typically in small, fiber-rich portions from fruits or honey. Fast-forward to today, and the average American consumes dramatically more added sugar, highlighting a massive disconnect between our biology and our modern diet.

Multiple studies using different methods have largely concluded that Neanderthals required significantly higher daily energy, potentially hundreds of calories more than early modern humans. So, did Neanderthals need more calories than humans? The scientific consensus points to yes, and the reasons are deeply rooted in their evolutionary biology and lifestyle.

According to a 2022 study published in *Nature*, cravings for fatty foods can be traced to a direct signaling pathway between the gut and the brain. This recent discovery adds a new layer of understanding to the age-old question: Why do I like fat so much? It is a complex interplay of biology, environment, and psychology.

Archaeological records show that early Homo sapiens were not strictly herbivores, but instead opportunistic omnivores who relied on both plants and animal protein. This foundational adaptability is the key to understanding, 'are humans technically omnivores?'

With up to 100% of adults affected in some communities, people of East Asian descent are the most lactose-intolerant group globally. The reasons for these varying tolerance levels are rooted in human genetic and cultural history, a phenomenon called lactase persistence.

Scientists have determined that blubber is not merely passive fat but a dynamic, specialized tissue integral to marine survival. The evolutionary benefits of blubber are extensive, allowing animals like whales and seals to thrive in some of the most extreme aquatic environments on Earth by insulating them against cold, storing vital energy, and aiding in buoyancy.

By biological definition, an omnivore is an animal that eats both plants and other animals. A scientific examination of human physiology, anatomy, and evolutionary history provides compelling evidence that humans are omnivores, capable of deriving nutrition from a diverse range of plant and animal sources.

Over 50% of the dry matter in many fruits consists of carbohydrates, primarily simple sugars, which answers why are fruits usually sweet. This sweetness is not accidental but is a sophisticated evolutionary strategy developed by plants to ensure their survival through effective seed dispersal.

According to recent research from the Max Planck Institute, the 'dessert stomach' phenomenon is not a myth but a real brain-driven mechanism. This happens because the brain's reward system overrides the body's usual satiety signals, explaining why we can eat dessert when full.

According to a 2025 study published in the journal *Science*, the very same brain cells that tell you that you are full can also trigger a craving for sugary foods. This phenomenon, often joked about as having a "dessert stomach," has a powerful biological basis that overrides normal satiety signals.