At a Glance
- A new study challenges traditional views by suggesting that human interactions, not just environmental changes, significantly influenced the shift from hunting and gathering to farming around 12,000 years ago.
- Researchers used a mathematical model based on predator-prey dynamics to examine how early human societies transitioned to agriculture through complex patterns of cooperation and competition.
- The findings indicate that cultural diffusion and demographic exchanges, such as migration and intergroup contact, were central to the spread of farming practices across ancient communities.
- By analyzing archaeological population data, the study shows that farming expansion depended heavily on how hunter-gatherers and early farmers interacted, not just on favorable climate or geography.
- The researchers believe their model provides a new lens for studying other transformative historical periods where human relationships were critical in shaping civilizations.
A new study has shed light on how human interactions, rather than just environmental factors, played a significant role in the shift from hunting and gathering to farming. This change, one of the most significant transitions in human history, occurred around 12,000 years ago and has been traditionally thought to be driven by climate changes, fertile land, and other external forces. However, researchers from the University of Bath and other institutions have developed a new mathematical model that challenges this view.
The researchers used a model initially designed to study how predators and prey interact, applying it to early human societies. Their findings suggest that the competition and cooperation between hunter-gatherers and early farmers shaped the transition to farming. These demographic interactions—such as population growth, migration, and cultural exchange—played a crucial role in the spread of agriculture.
This study is the first to suggest that cultural diffusion, including the migration of farming groups and their interaction with existing hunter-gatherers, was a major factor in developing farming societies. By analyzing population dynamics from archaeological data, the researchers found that the spread of farming was not solely due to environmental factors. However, they were also influenced by how different groups interacted with each other.
Dr. Javier Rivas, one of the lead researchers, emphasized that their findings offer a fresh perspective on how ancient human societies evolved. The team hopes that this new approach will help better understand other historical moments and the role of human interactions in shaping the development of civilizations.
Further details about this research can be found in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
References
- University of Bath. (2025, March 31). New study challenges the story of humanity’s shift from prehistoric hunting to farming. Phys.Org; University of Bath. https://phys.org/news/2025-03-story-humanity-shift-prehistoric-farming.html
- Cortell-Nicolau, A., Rivas, J., Crema, E. R., Shennan, S., García-Puchol, O., Kolář, J., Staniuk, R., & Timpson, A. (2025). Demographic interactions between the last hunter-gatherers and the first farmers. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 122(14), e2416221122. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2416221122
