Researchers from Griffith University in Australia discovered that people living in Sulawesi between 16,000 and 25,000 years ago chewed betel nuts, a psychoactive plant known to induce mild euphoria. This finding pushes back the earliest evidence of drug use by humans to at least 25,000 years ago, predating previous estimates by several thousand years. The study, published in Science Advances, also shows that chewing these seeds could produce a physiological effect without additional substances like slaked lime, suggesting early humans were consuming psychoactive compounds purely for their effects.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-12,
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Story summary
Researchers at Griffith University in Brisbane discovered evidence suggesting that ancient foragers on Sulawesi, an Indonesian island, may have used betel nuts as a psychoactive substance around 25,000 years ago. Analysis of two skeletons, one from about 7,000 years ago and another more ancient dating back to between 16,000 and 25,000 years, revealed unusual tooth wear indicative of betel nut chewing. Prof Adam Brumm led the study published in *Science Advances*, which suggests that this practice predates previously known use of such psychoactive substances by thousands of years. Betel nuts are currently used by an estimated tenth of the global population for their mild euphoria and heightened alertness, ranking them as the world’s fourth most widely used psychoactive substance after alcohol, caffeine, and nicotine.
Written for “Ancient Drug Use Found” on 2026-09-12,
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No political leaning scored for article 8208 · logged 2026-09-12
It’s a trip back in time.
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It → ’ → time
We walked upright starting 7 million years ago, but when did we take our first 12 steps?
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we → walk → steps
Analysis of caveman remains in Indonesia reveals that we might’ve taken mind-bending drugs thousands of years earlier than once thought, per a psychoactive study in the journal Science Advances.
uncertain
we → reveal → journal
Researchers from Griffith University in Australia reported the discovery of skeletal remnants belonging to two inhabitants from Sulawesi, the oldest of which date back to between 16,000 and 25,000 years ago, per a press release from the institution.
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oldest → report → institution
The deceased’s chompers displayed unusual wear and tear caused by what the researchers deduced was a previously unknown behavior at the time: chewing a psychoactive plant known as a betel nut.
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researchers → display → nut
Known to induce mild euphoria and heightened alertness, among other effects, these psychedelic seeds are used by millions of people throughout India and the South Pacific to attain a buzz, per the report.
“It is the world’s fourth most widely used psychoactive substance, after alcohol, caffeine and nicotine,” said the study’s lead author Professor Adam Brumm.
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author → know → alcohol
If the researchers’ prehistoric drug test rings positive, this means we were enjoying chemically-enhanced experiences as far back as the Late Pleistocene.
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we → ring → Pleistocene
That far predates the previous earliest evidence of drug use — 13,000-year-old barley-based drinks from what is now modern Israel.
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what → predate → use
“This theory fails to account for the possibility that very ancient drug-taking lies at the roots of our most commonly used psychoactive substances,” said Brumm.
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Brumm → fail → substances
Unfortunately, the prevalence of betel nut usage during prehistoric times was uncertain as these seeds were rarely found at archaeological sites.
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seeds → find → sites
To prove that early Indonesians were indeed tripping on betel nuts, also known as areca seeds, the team first had to prove that chewing the seeds could get you high without cutting agents.
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you → prove → agents
Modern users achieve the desired effect by chewing on a seed that’s been seasoned with slaked lime – a fine powder made by grinding the burnt shells — because this accelerates the absorption of psychoactive compounds.
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this → achieve → compounds
However, by subjecting betel nuts to biochemical tests, the researchers proved that the same state could be attained simply through chewing.
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state → subject → chewing
“Our team conducted experiments in which we soaked betel nuts in artificial saliva and tested the resultant broths against a panel of cloned human receptors,” explained Brumm.
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Brumm → conduct → receptors
“This showed that just sucking on intact betel nuts will release arecoline (the nut’s psychoactive ingredient) in sufficient amounts to have a physiological effect, altering brain function.”
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sucking → show → function
Meanwhile, further analysis revealed traces of the nuts in the skeleton’s dental tissues, suggesting that they ingested these nuts as well.
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they → reveal → nuts
Due to the prevalence of bad teeth among these prehistoric foragers, the team suspected they might’ve chewed betel nuts to alleviate dental pain.
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they → suspect → pain
Using this ancient anesthetic might’ve paradoxically perpetuated the islanders’ suffering as prolonged chewing eroded away their chompers, leading to pain, difficulty eating, and tooth infections.
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chewing → use → pain
“So while this habit may have been a remedy for toothache, years of prolonged nut-sucking eventually caused much worse dental health problems, creating a cycle of continued habitual use,” said Brumm.
uncertain
Brumm → cause → use
