The Nature & Nurture Podcast Nature & Nurture #45: Dr. Edward Slingerland - The History of Alcohol
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Jan 26, 2022 AI Snips
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The Central Evolutionary Puzzle
- Alcohol's appeal is puzzling because it's costly and dangerous yet remains widespread across humans.
- Edward Slingerland argues functional benefits must balance those costs to keep the taste and cultural use evolving.
Flushing Genes Didn't Spread Globally
- Genetic mutations causing alcohol flushing arose and stayed regionally limited despite reducing drinking.
- That geographic containment suggests benefits of alcohol offset selection against it.
Distillation Changed The Risk
- Natural fermentation typically produced low-alcohol beverages for most of human history.
- Distillation, which produces high-proof spirits, appeared relatively recently and changed risk profiles.