Evolution of Food &Agriculture

How did a 10,000-year-old agricultural revolution shape the very DNA, diet, and diseases that define us today? This interdisciplinary Discovery module brings together cutting-edge genetics and archaeology to unravel one of humanity's most profound transformations. You will explore how the shift to farming fundamentally altered human evolution, nutrition, and health—from our ability to digest milk to the evolution of zoonotic diseases like plague and Salmonella. Through fascinating case studies of domesticated animals (dogs, cattle, sheep, pigs) and crops (maize), you will discover how agriculture catalyzed technological development and reorganized human societies across the globe. Contributors from different disciplines will guide you through the evidence of changing dietary practices worldwide and examine how innovations like wool production transformed economies. You will also investigate how genomic techniques are now being applied to ecosystem recovery, re-wilding, and even de-extinction efforts—connecting knowledge of the deep past to future environmental solutions. Through interactive in-person lectures, recorded content, discussions, and peer learning, you will gain unique insights into how ancient DNA research is revolutionizing our understanding of humanity's relationship with food, animals, and the environment. In-person lectures are timetabled as 1-2pm Wednesdays, and 11am-1pm Friday.