The Dissenter

#1113 Vicky Oelze: The Diets of Great Apes, and the Evolution of Human Diets

Jun 20, 2025
Vicky Oelze, an Associate Professor in Anthropology and Director of the Primate Ecology & Molecular Anthropology Lab at UC Santa Cruz, dives into the diets of great apes and how they inform human evolution. She discusses innovative methods like isotope analysis used to study ancient diets, uncovering insights into our ancestors' eating habits. Oelze also reveals surprising dietary behaviors in apes and their implications for early human diets, from hunting to the impact of agriculture. A fascinating blend of biology and anthropology awaits!
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INSIGHT

Isotope Tools Reveal Ancient Diets

  • Isotope analysis in tooth enamel reveals ancient diets by capturing long-lasting biochemical signals.
  • Combined with dental morphology and wear, it helps reconstruct dietary adaptations of fossil hominins.
INSIGHT

Isotope Limits and Advances

  • Isotope ratios inform us about general diet categories like plant vs meat consumption but not specific foods.
  • New nitrogen isotope methods enable better insight into trophic levels and dietary protein intake in fossils.
INSIGHT

Generalized Dentition in Hominins

  • Primate dentition is generalized, built for varied diets rather than specialization.
  • Large molars in some species suggest adaptation for tough, hard vegetation, not carnivory.
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