Throughout the 20th century, many of the greatest creators have credited hallucinogenic drugs

for their artwork or their vision.

In many cases, this has spilled over into advocacy for these drugs by citing false claims

of other miraculous things they can do.

So we shouldn't be surprised to learn of the stoned ape theory that credits hallucinogens

for getting early humans to stand on two feet and expand their brains and eventually build

our world.

Just how valid is this theory?

The stoned ape theory is coming up next on Skeptoid.

You're listening to Skeptoid.

I'm Brian Dunning from Skeptoid.com.

The Stoned Ape Theory.

Come back with us now to 1 million years BC, as an early hominon treads across the dry,

cracked mud, spear in hand.

Finally he spots the object of his quarry, a dry disc of manure.

He bends down and turns it over to expose its moist and pungent underside, and there is

what he seeks.

A pair of stringy mushrooms which he quickly peels off and gobbles down.

An hour later we find him again, stretched out in the grass, watching the sun and the

clouds dance overhead.

And then at the faintest sound of a small rodent, strangely amplified, he springs to his feet

and lets fly the spear.

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