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Scientists say they may have discovered origin of consciousness - and it's a theory popularized by Joe Rogan
The birth of human consciousness may have truly been magic.
Scientists have claimed that the consumption of the fungi psilocybin, also known as 'magic mushrooms,' influenced pre-human hominids' brains six million years ago.
They analyzed dozens of studies involving psilocybin and consciousness, finding the fungi increased connectivity between networks in the frontal brain region associated with expressive language, decision-making and memory.
These 'significant neurological and psychological effects' may have been the catalase ancient ancestors to interact with each other and the environment - spurring consciousness among our species.
The idea that magic mushrooms sparked the pivotal point in humans has been touted by podcaster Joe Rogan, who has referenced the 'Stoned Ape Theory' on his show multiple times.
Psilocybin - a property found in magic mushrooms - enhanced ancient humans' visual skills for hunting and gathering and may have used it to boost their sexual stimulation, leading to an increased chance of mating
Ancient humans who consumed magic mushrooms six million years ago may have played a vital role in developing modern humans' consciousness
The theory, proposed in 1992 by ethnobotanist Terence McKenna, suggested that the evolution from Homo erectus to Homo sapiens and the cognitive enhancement associated with this change caused by eating psilocybin mushrooms.
'[Learning] from our ancestors, we can use psilocybin today to connect with parts of ourselves we didn't know, to face our fears, and to heal our traumas,' the study's co-author and biologist Jehoshua Macedo-Bedoya told Popular Mechanics.
Researchers at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru sifted through studies dating back to 1998, finding psilocybin stimulated the central nervous system, leading to an increased sense of consciousness.
They also found information that suggested psilocybin connected the brain's frontal lobes, prefrontal cortex and anterior cingulate cortex millions of years ago.
These regions are responsible for decision-making, problem-solving and reasoning skills.
The fungi was also found to affect the hippocampus, part of the brain's limbic system that converts short-term memories to long-term ones and processes emotions including anxiety and avoidance behaviors.
'From an evolutionary perspective, it is proposed that the ingestion of psilocybin could have contributed to the improvement in visual abilities and the reproductive success of communities that made use of these mushrooms,' according to a translation of the study in Spanish.
Research reviewed by the team found that humans developed the CYP2D6 gene millions of years ago to synthesize psychoactive substances, including psilocybin.
Those findings suggested that humans were feasting on the fungi and their bodies evolved to tolerate the chemicals.
Psilocybin could have also been 'catalysts of mystical experiences or as drivers of cognitive processes, raises profound reflections on the ancestral interaction between human beings and their natural environment,' the study said.
The fungi impacts the part of the brain called the hippocampus, responsible for reflecting on thoughts and experiences, and causes some people to feel connected to the people and world around them.
Podcast host Joe Rogan has discussed the 'Stoned Ape Theory' at length on his podcast and argued that it should be questioned but is a 'compelling idea'
The new study appears to support the 'Stoned Ape Theory' that Rogan discussed at length on his podcast in 2021.
But the scientific community has widely criticized the idea, arguing that our ancient ancestors didn't exhibit any of these evolutionary advantages.
Although Rogan did say in his podcast that McKenna's credibility should be questioned and criticized the researcher's alleged drug use, he acknowledged that it was a captivating theory.
'[McKenna] was a fun guy to listen to talk, ... but the idea that these ancient hominids experienced, experimented rather, with psilocybin and this was what advanced culture, advanced language, advanced their understanding of each other, it's a very compelling idea,' Rogan said.