Scientists Have Discovered The Ancient Origins of Cannabis

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00:00Scientists have discovered the ancient origins of cannabis.

00:05Cannabis has been integral to human history for millennia, being one of the first cultivated

00:09plants.

00:10Despite its psychoactive variety controversies, hemp's low THC levels made it ideal for textiles

00:16and industry.

00:18Numerous varieties have emerged, blurring the distinction between wild and cultivated

00:22strains.

00:24Recent research has shed light on the origins of cannabis sativa, illuminating its evolution

00:29and diversification into the varieties known today, offering fresh perspectives on this

00:34versatile plant.

00:39Researchers analyzed 110 genomes, using DNA sequencing to reveal gradual evolution into

00:45four distinct cannabis groups.

00:47The study's key finding was identifying basal cannabis, a foundational group previously undetected.

00:54Basal cannabis is genetically distinct from psychoactive and hemp types, and includes traditionally

01:00bred local landrace varieties in China and feral strains.

01:04Researchers suggest it resembles wild varieties before human agricultural intervention, sharing

01:09unique genetic markers absent in modern strains.

01:13They propose East Asia as cannabis's original cultivation site, challenging the belief of

01:18Central Asian origins.

01:20The split between basil and cultivated varieties likely occurred 12,000 years ago, aligning with

01:26early agriculture, and around 4,000 years ago, hemp and psychoactive types diverged from

01:32a common ancestor.

01:36Archaeological evidence indicates hemp-based items emerged in East Asia, facilitating cannabis's

01:42westward spread to Europe.

01:44Psychoactive strains reached India from East Asia 3,000 years ago, later expanding into Africa

01:50and Latin America, and arrived in North America much later.

01:55European settlers introduced hemp textiles to North America in the 1600s, with Chinese strains

02:00replacing older European ones by the mid-1800s.