And they kept going back for it.

The oldest known chapter in the history of human drug use ends here — or rather, begins here.

Because what happened before that jaw was sealed in the limestone of Leang Bulu Bettue is a question that the evidence cannot answer.

The record stands at 25,000 years.

Until the next discovery breaks it.

The Name “Betel Nut” And Its Misleading Taxonomy

One of the persistent confusions about this topic — one that even well-informed readers sometimes carry — is the name “betel nut” itself, which is a misnomer that obscures what is actually involved.