Details of the study

Most alcohols are poisonous, but some animals (including us humans) can metabolize low doses of ethanol, a molecule produced by yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) when digesting plant material. Now as scientists say, Ethanol is much more abundant in nature than we previously thoughtChannel 24 reports, citing a study published in Trends in Ecology & Evolution.

Most animals that eat sweet fruits are affected to some degree [етанолу],
– says ecologist Kimberly Hawkings from the University of Exeter.

The researcher believes that we need to move away from the established view that ethanol is “only used by humans.”

After examining 100 existing sources on the subject, the team discovered a complex evolutionary network that accompanied the emergence of ethanol on Earth. This alcohol appeared in large quantities about 100 million years ago, when yeast found a way to ferment the nectar and fruits of the first flowering plants on Earth.

From this initial ecological interaction, an evolutionary chain of events developed that included plants, yeasts, bacteria, insects, and mammals.

Because Ethanol occurs naturally in almost every ecosystem on EarthAnimals that feed on fruit and nectar, where this alcohol molecule is formed, are probably consume regularly. The presence of ethanol is a sign that the food is high in sugar and therefore high in energy. This is how the relationship is established: Animals look for things that will give them more energy, choosing fruits with certain sweetness properties.

Once plants developed sugar-rich fruits, juices, and nectars, and yeast evolved ethanol production to preserve these resources, some animals may have become more metabolically efficient with ethanol, allowing them to consume ethanol-rich foods.
– the authors write.

This certainly lends some credence to the drunken monkey hypothesis, which proposes that humans inherited their love of alcohol from primate ancestors who selected ethanol-rich fruits for their higher nutritional value.

“Cognitively, it is suggested that ethanol can trigger the endorphin and dopamine system, leading to feelings of relaxation,” says researcher Anna Bowland from the University of Exeter. “We really need to test this.” “To know whether ethanol causes a physiological response in the wild.”

On the other hand, there are obvious disadvantages to overconsumption, which has serious consequences for wild animals. From an ecological perspective, there is no benefit in getting drunk while climbing trees or surrounded by predators at night. This behavior will mean that your genes will not be passed on.

Perhaps this is why some mammals and birds that feed on fruit and nectar have evolved to metabolize ethanol efficiently. For example, humans, chimpanzees and gorillas can produce A294V, a special enzyme that emerged as a result of a single amino acid change in the DNA code of our common ancestor about 10 million years ago, giving primates a particularly high tolerance. ethanol

For better or worse it seems Ethanol consumption is woven into the evolutionary history of many animalsincluding ourselves. But where animals look for calories, we look for intoxication.