Diet and lifestyle “paleofantasies” the subject of talks in EWU president’s forum

Marlene Zuk, an evolutionary biologist at the University of Minnesota, will talk about “paleofantasies,” or popular myths on diet, lifestyle choices and gender differences, in a visit to the Inland Northwest.

Zuk’s most recent book debunks theories that we can thrive if we attempt to eat and live as early humans did. She argues that evolution didn’t stop 10,000 years ago, but rather humans have kept evolving. Her book is titled “Paleofantasy: What evolution really taught us about sex, diet and how we live.”

She is visiting the Inland Northwest as part of Eastern Washington University’s President’s Forum for Critical Thought.

Zuk will give a free talk and book signing at 7 p.m. Tuesday in the Bing Crosby Theatre in Spokane. Then on Wednesday, she’ll talk to EWU students, faculty and staff at 1 p.m. in Hargreaves Hall 201 on the university campus in Cheney.