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Microbes in Neanderthals’ mouths reveal their carb-laden diet

Gunk on ancient teeth yields bacterial DNA, allowing scientists to trace the oral microbiome’s evolution.
Coloured transmission electron micrograph of two Streptococcus sanguinis bacteria

Genomic analysis identified starch-loving Streptococcus sanguinis bacteria (artificially coloured) in the mouths of modern humans and Neanderthals, but not in chimpanzees’ mouths. Credit: National Infection Service/Science Photo Library

Neanderthals’ mouths teemed with bacteria that break down starchy food, suggesting that a carbohydrate-rich diet has ancient roots in the human family tree.

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Nature 593, 316 (2021)

doi: https://doi.org/10.1038/d41586-021-01260-z

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