One of our original hominin ancestors, Paranthropus boisei (aka Nutcracker Man, lived between 2.3 and 1.2 million years ago throughout what were then savannas in eastern Africa), has gotten an image makeover.
Paranthropus boisei dining on fruit
Photo Credit: Nicolle Rager Fuller, National Science Foundation
It turns out that despite P. boisei's over-sized teeth and strong jaw musculature (hence 'Nutcracker Man', and thought to be evidence of a very crunchy and difficult-to-chew diet), they were fruit eaters. But, you know what, in my long experience as a public archaeologist (gesundheit to you, too), I've rarely seen a clearer explanation in a news story than you'll find in the original academic paper you can find online at PLoS One. And it's open access, and you can even read the comments from one of the peer reviewers.
How great is that?
Sources
Ungar, Peter S., Frederick E. Grine, and Mark F. Teaford 2008 Dental Microwear and Diet of the Plio-Pleistocene Hominin Paranthropus boisei. PLoS ONE 3(4):e2044.
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