Primatologists from California State University at Northridge and the University of California at Berkeley studied
In addition, in the urine analysis of Koat Geoffroythe researchers discovered the secondary metabolites of ethanol: ethylglucuronide and ethylsulfate. This result, as the biologists note, indicates that the animals used alcohol for energy, and not just passed it through the digestive tract.
Ethanol is a by-product of enzymaticyeast in fruit pulp. Scientists believe that the smell of ethanol serves as an olfactory signal for animals, helping them to sense from a distance where ripe and ripe fruits are located.
“For the first time, we were able to prove that wild primatesconsume ethanol-containing fruits without human intervention,” said Christina Campbell, a professor of anthropology at California State University, Northridge and co-author of the study.
According to Campbell, this confirms the hypothesis"drunken monkey" This theory suggests that people's addiction to alcohol is due to the inheritance of such a trait from monkeys that received natural ethanol from ripe fruits.
The researchers note that it is not yet known how much ethanol the monkeys consume and what consequences this has for their physiology and behavior.
"The monkeys probably ate fruits containingethanol for energy, says Campbell. - Primates get more calories from fermented fruits than from unfermented ones. And the more calories, the more energy.
Primatologists doubt that monkeys feel the intoxicating effects of alcohol, which humans appreciate.
They probably don't get drunk because it takeseat too much fruit to get drunk. But the consumption of ethanol has an impact on physiology. Perhaps the fermented fruits have an antimicrobial effect, or the activity of the yeast contributes to better digestion of food.
Robert Dudley, UC Berkeley biologist and study co-author
Researchers believe that human ancestors alsopreferred to consume fruits containing ethanol due to their caloric content. They note that the liquid form of alcohol allows you to consume it in unlimited quantities (since the feeling of satiety does not occur), which leads to abuse.
The idea that humans' addiction to alcohol is inherited from our primate ancestors is believed by biologists to help society cope with the adverse effects of alcohol abuse.
Cover photo: Victoria Weaver, California State University Northridge
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