A complex and enigmatic organ, the human brain is capable of amazing feats of cognition and sociality. But for centuries, no one has been able to explain where our exceptional intelligence and capacity for cooperation came from. According to recent research, the cause of our ancestors' sudden and dramatic increase in brain power 200,000 years ago may have been due to their use of magic mushrooms.
According to the "stoned ape theory," our earliest hominin ancestors' use of psychedelic mushrooms served as the catalyst for the development of our brains. In spite of the fact that this theory is still purely conjectural and lacks solid supporting data, a recent article published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology makes the case for it.
The paper, written by independent researcher José Manuel Rodrguez Arce and Dr. Michael Winkleman of Arizona State University, makes the case that environmental factors may have sped up the development of complex cognition and sociality. The authors claim that the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is derived from the amino acid tryptophan, plays a significant role in the characteristics that result in greater intelligence, cooperative communications, and social learning. The researchers contend that since humans are unable to synthesise tryptophan, the only way early hominins could have increased their serotonin levels was by ingesting magic mushrooms.
Recent studies have suggested that psychedelics may be used to treat mental health conditions like depression, primarily by stimulating neural plasticity and activating serotonin receptors. According to the authors, the ancient use of these substances may have aided in the development of new forms of cognition and brain growth.
The authors go on to say that consumption of psychedelic plants may have promoted social bonding among prehistoric hominins by causing euphoria and laughter and enhancing the ability to tell stories and make music. According to them, this encouraged pro-social behaviours that aided in group cohesion and survival.
Despite the fact that all of this may seem plausible, there is no conclusive proof that early hominins ingested mind-altering substances. Even so, the authors insist that "throughout their evolutionary history, our hominin ancestors inevitably encountered and likely ingested psychedelic mushrooms." Additionally, they cite archaeological data to support their contention that early humans consumed a variety of fungi in their diet, including mushrooms.
Despite these claims, it's crucial to remember that this divisive theory is still hypothetical and undeveloped. The authors acknowledge this and state that it "will forever remain uncertain" whether or not early hominins consumed magic mushrooms.
They insist, however, that "psychedelics' effects in enhancing sociality, imagination, eloquence, and suggestibility may have increased adaptability and fitness [of early hominins]." If they are correct, it might imply that a group of primates on drugs is to blame for our intelligence and social abilities.
Early Homo sapiens and our closest ancestor, Homo erectus, appear to have had very different cognitive capacities. Yes, erectus was upright, which was a significant advancement, but with the appearance of Homo sapiens, we see evidence of art, pictography, tool use, and what we believe to be the beginnings of language.
Terence McKenna, an ethnobotanist and proponent of psychedelics, postulated in his book Food of the Gods published in the early 1990s that the discovery of magic mushrooms was what caused Homo sapiens to advance cognitively. McKenna's theory was never taken seriously by the scientific community because they saw it as mostly trippy speculation. These days, his ideas are mostly restricted to the more eccentric sections of Reddit.
"The effects of the psilocybin mushroom on the individual, the nature of the self, and the nature of self-organization would have been profound. Psilocybin consumption would have increased sexual arousal, pattern recognition, and visual acuity as well as rewired neural circuits in the brain."
Stamets also cited research that suggests psilocybin may be effective in treating mental health conditions like addiction and depression, which raises the possibility that early humans may have benefitted from the therapeutic effects of these drugs. He also emphasised how psilocybin can strengthen social bonds and empathy, which would have aided in the growth of social structures and cooperation.
Similar to the "stoned ape theory," Stamets' claims are still unsubstantiated by hard data. There is no way to definitively determine whether psilocybin mushrooms contributed to the cognitive development of early humans. How significant a role these substances might have played cannot be determined due to a lack of evidence.
In spite of this, many people still find the stoned ape theory and the role of psilocybin in human evolution to be intriguing and fascinating. Whether or not this theory is ever proven, it has provided fresh perspectives on the part that mind-altering drugs played in the development of mankind.
In conclusion, the notion that magic mushrooms contributed to the development of the human brain is still speculative and devoid of hard data. The notion that psilocybin may have played a part in the evolution of humans and the stoned ape theory, however, continue to be intriguing and provocative. The sudden expansion of the human brain 200,000 years ago was undoubtedly a significant and puzzling development in our evolutionary history, even though we may never be able to know for sure.
