Prehistoric humans bite may have been far more powerful than our own

Sea otters' teeth were found to have similar structures to those of early fossils of Homo sapiens

Prehistoric humans had teeth that were much stronger than their modern counterparts and were more like those of sea otters, which are capable of cracking open shellfish with their jaws.

A new study of the structure of tooth enamel has found that our early human ancestors had teeth that were surprisingly similar to those of the marine mammal.

Researchers at the Max Plank Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany, and George Washington University, found that teeth with this structure are capable of withstanding huge bite forces.

This suggests that our prehistoric ancestors jaws were far more powerful than our own, perhaps allowing them to crack open nuts and bones to get to the marrow inside.

The news could help anthropologists build up a more accurate picture of what our ancestors may have looked like. [...] dailymail.co.uk


Actualización 10-01-15: Homínidos tempranos: nuevo estudio confirma una mordedura poderosa (Vía B&W2)
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