A new look at the diets of ancient African hominids shows a “game changer” occurred about 3.5 million years ago when some members added grasses or sedges to their menus, according to a new study led by the University of Colorado Boulder.
For the past six decades, archaeologists have documented dense populations of ancient Maya in Mexico and Central America—hundreds of people per square kilometer. Corn, beans and squash are well-known Mayan food staples, but they are sensitive to drought and require fertile soils, and thus would be insufficient to feed a large population. So what did the Maya eat?