JAPAN: An international team of researchers has identified the earliest known direct evidence for the use of pottery in food preparation. Pottery first emerged among hunter-gatherers in Asia up to 20,000 years ago, but little is known about how it was used. The scientists examined the charred residue on 12,000- to 15,000-year-old Jomon ceramic vessels—101 from 13 sites—and found that they were used to process and cook fish or other aquatic foods. It is not clear yet whether this use was common or reserved for ceremonies. —Samir S. Patel