The key to this phenomenon, which scientists call "evolutionary paradox," could be in how Homo's diet has evolved. But other species tend not to have such afflictions, nor did our fossil forebears. An analysis of extant primate diets can provide clues to the evolution of the human diet, since humans are themselves primates. Hypotheses concerning the diet of early hominids have played an important role in discussions on human evolution. Updated 21st April 2019. Journal of Human Evolution. The human oral system reflects the evolutionary selection pressures on humans (and not the pressures acting on cats or crocodiles). Resource Information The item Evolution's bite : a story of teeth, diet, and human origins, Peter S. Ungar represents a specific, individual, material embodiment of a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Calgary Public Library. Paleoanthropologist Peter Ungar will present how teeth--their shape, chemistry, and wear--reveal how we came to be and what might or might not be the most natural diet for humans. Comparative anatomy is a fairly coarse approach, which despite convergences allows only the most specialized diets to be ruled out. By Ann Gibbons. That is, simple technology enables us to transform foods, as necessary, to better fit our dentition-- Further, thanks to technology (tools and cooking) the human dentition was buffered to a certain extent from the diet's underlying content. Peter Ungar is an American paleoanthropologist and evolutionary biologist who has researched teeth and human evolution and written extensively about it (other than 150+ scientific papers, see his books Evolution of the Human Diet: The Known, the Unknown, and the Unknowable, and Teeth: A Very Short Introduction, both with Oxford University Press, and the comprehensive Mammal Teeth: … Much of human evolutionary success can be attributed to our ability to consume a wide range of foods. Genetics articles. Hypotheses concerning the diet of early hominids have played an important role in discussions on human evolution. The purpose is to define the Hominid's diet and behaviour, through a dental study. What's on it may surprise you. The role of teeth in human evolution Br Dent J. Shop Evolution's Bite - A Story of Teeth - Diet - and Human Origins by Pete. The Scientific American article also had me baffled because the author correctly noted the problem with wisdom teeth was diet, not the evolution of the smaller jaw, as was commonly given as the reason for decades: Dental problems such as crowding and cavities are common in people today. One of many items available from our Science, Medicine & Nature department here at Fruugo! Traveling the four corners of the globe and combining scientific breakthroughs with vivid narrative,Evolution's Bite presents a unique dental perspective on our astonishing human development. Three investigations have helped define the extent to which dietary hypotheses may be taken and still be testable. What teeth can teach us about the evolution of the human species What teeth can teach us about the evolution of the human species Whether we realize it or not, we carry in our mouths the legacy of our evolution. The Plaques About Primate Teeth The evolution of hominid dentition Primate Teeth Development . 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