The origin of the chew: When did we learn to eat like this?

LOOK I KNOW I SAY THIS A LOT BUT IT IS BASICALLY LIKE LEARNING TO TIE YOUR SHOES FOR THE FIRST TIME EXCEPT YOU ARE A DINOSAUR. NPR WAS TALKING ABOUT THE ORIGIN OF CHEWING AND APPARENTLY WE HAVE NEW EVIDENCE THAT THIS WHOLE CHOMPING METHOD EMERGED BACK IN THE MIDDLE JURASSIC PERIOD WHICH IS WILD BECAUSE THAT IS WHEN DINOSAURS WERE STILL TOTALLY RUNNING THE SHOW! SO APPARENTLY SCIENTISTS ARE LOOKING AT WHEN WE DEVELOPED THE ABILITY TO ACTUALLY MASTICATE OUR FOOD INSTEAD OF JUST SWALLOWING THINGS WHOLE, AND THE DATELINE PUTS IT WAY BACK IN THE DINOSAUR ERA. IT IS HONESTLY FASCINATING TO THINK ABOUT A T-REX OR SOMETHING JUST SITTING THERE HAVING A PROPER MEAL, ALTHOUGH THE ARTICLE DOES NOT SAY EXACTLY WHY IT EVOLVED THEN, JUST THAT IT DID. ANYWAY I AM GOING TO GO THINK ABOUT MY LIFE.

RIGHT THE TIMELINE ON THIS IS MAD, LIKE WE ARE TALKING HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF YEARS AGO! NPR SAYS THAT THE ABILITY TO CHEW YOUR FOOD MIGHT BE WAY OLDER THAN WE THOUGHT. THEY FOUND NEW EVIDENCE PINNING THE FIRST CHEWERS TO THE MIDDLE JURASSIC, BACK WHEN DINOSAURS WERE STILL REIGNING SUPREME. SO IF YOU HAVE EVER WONDERED WHEN THE WHOLE ACT OF BREAKING DOWN FOOD WITH YOUR TEETH STARTED, IT WAS DEFINITELY HAPPENING WHILE GIANT REPTILES WERE ROAMING THE EARTH. IT IS JUST CRAZY THAT THIS BIOLOGICAL UPGRADE SHOWED UP THEN AND HAS STUCK AROUND EVER SINCE, EVEN THOUGH THE ARTICLE DOES NOT SPECIFY WHAT THE DRIVING FORCE BEHIND THAT CHANGE ACTUALLY WAS. IT JUST TELLS US IT STARTED WITH THE DINOSAURS AND THAT IS ENOUGH FOR ME. ANYWAY MY PHONE IS AT FOUR PERCENT, THIS IS MY LEGACY.

New evidence suggests that the ability to chew food evolved at least as far back as the middle Jurassic period, during the reign of dinosaurs.

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