Dairy farming in Europe began thousands of years before most people evolved the ability to drink milk as adults without becoming ill. Now researchers think they know why.
The dawn of dairy farming in Europe occurred thousands of years before most people evolved the ability to drink milk as adults without becoming ill.
But Richard Evershed, a biogeochemist at the University of Bristol, UK, who co-led the latest study, and his team have found milk-fat residues on ancient potsherds dating from the dawn of animal domestication. Ancient genomics studies, meanwhile, showed that these early animal farmers were lactose intolerant, and that tolerance for milk did not become common in Europe until after the Bronze Age, 5,000–4,000 years ago.
The team found little overlap between leaps in lactose tolerance and heightened milk consumption, inferred by the presence of milk-fat residues from some 13,000 potsherds from more than 550 archaeological sites across Europe. “All previous hypotheses for what was the natural-selection advantage of lactase persistence pegged themselves to the extent of milk use,” says Thomas, because of the presumed nutritional benefits of being able to consume milk without getting sick.
But the researchers propose that the consequences of milk drinking among lactose-intolerant people long ago would have been much more severe for those who were in ill health, as a result of famine or infection. Fluid loss, through diarrhoea, contributes to deaths through malnutrition and infection, especially in places with poor sanitation.
Australia Latest News, Australia Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Evolution of lactose tolerance probably driven by famine and diseaseMilk consumption was widespread thousands of years before people were able to break it down properly, according to the largest study yet on the evolution of lactose tolerance in humans.
Read more »
Over 60 million years ago, penguins abandoned flight for swimming. Here’s how.A new genetic and fossil analysis of penguins reveals how they evolved.
Read more »
Stem cell transplant may not be a scalable solution but can surely help those who may not find other treatmentA 66-year-old who was infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in 1988 and lived with the disease for over three decades has been cured following a stem cell transplant.
Read more »
Opinion: Path to a carbon neutral future is through the Texas Railroad CommissionBy granting the Texas Railroad Commission the ability to oversee the advancement of...
Read more »
'Walking sharks' caught on video, astound scientistsEpaulette sharks evolved to walk on land where other shark species couldn't survive before! 😳
Read more »