Early Americans Got Nearly 98 Percent of Their Calories From Mammoths and Other Large Mammals

Early Paleoindians relied heavily on large Ice Age mammals like mammoths and giant ground sloths for nearly 98% of their diet, a discovery that sheds light on their survival strategies during a time of significant environmental changes. This dietary focus likely helped them thrive despite the scarcity of other food sources. Understanding this unique dietary adaptation provides insight into the adaptability and resilience of early human populations in the face of dramatic ecological shifts. The findings also highlight how human diets have dramatically changed since then, moving away from such specialized sources of nutrition.