A brief review of the recent evolution of the human mouth in physiological and nutritional contexts.
One of the defining characteristics of humans, one that could also explain our species' success, is probably our ability to cook food. A brief review of the literature suggests several adaptations of the mouth can be interpreted to support this. All probably enhance the efficiency of the physical treatment of food in the mouth.
Lucas
Peter W
PW
Department of Anthropology, George Washington University, 2110 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20052, USA. pwlucas@gwu.edu
Ang
Kai Yang
KY
Sui
Zhongquan
Z
Agrawal
Kalpana R
KR
Prinz
Jonathan F
JF
Dominy
Nathaniel J
NJ
D000818:Animals; D005075:Biological Evolution; D006801:Humans; D009055:Mouth / Q000502:physiology*; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena