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Humans

How the evolution of citrus is inextricably linked with our own

Millions of years ago, our ancestors lost a gene for producing vitamin C and got a taste for citrus. Since then, we've cultivated the tangy fruits into global staples like sweet oranges and sour lemons

By Michael Marshall

11 October 2024

CEY867 fresh mandarins, oranges

The genus Citrus refers to a group of flowering shrubs and trees

liv friis-larsen / Alamy

This is an extract from Our Human Story, our newsletter about the revolution in archaeology. Sign up to receive it in your inbox every month.

One of the most important factors in the evolution of humans and other hominins is their relationship with food, and how it has changed over the millennia.

There are some foods that we can barely imagine living without, but that are quite recent additions to our diet. Take wheat, which we use to make bread, pasta, cake and…

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