Do you ever wonder how scientists come to understand what we ate in the past, or how they know what types of farming and irrigation methods were used? Or wondered why it’s important to understand past diet and farming strategies in today’s globalized world? My guest this week is here to help answer some of these questions! Today I’m chatting with Ayushi Nayak, who is a Doctoral Researcher at the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History. Her research focuses on the nature of agricultural societies in the past that led to the hyper-diversity defining the Indian sub-continent today. Using different archaeological approaches, she explores diet, early farming strategies, population movement, and cultural changes.  Additionally, Ayushi is interested in decolonizing archaeological research and public engagement with cultural heritage. We speak today about the ways she uses different methods to explore past people’s experiencing of farming, crop choices, and how they cooked and processed the foods they grew or collected. Ayushi strongly believes that developing a better understanding of human societies and choices in the past – particularly in times of flux – can help us prepare and mitigate against the rapidly changing world we live in today. I’m really excited for you to learn more about how she weaves the past and present together to tell these incredible food stories!  Learn More About Ayushi: Twitter: @ayushi_nayak Instagram: @archaeonayak Website: https://www.shh.mpg.de/person/51755/25522