Ancient Neanderthal ‘Fat Factory’ Unearthed in Germany: A Fascinating 125,000-Year-Old Discovery!

Neanderthals were not just primitive humans; they had some clever survival strategies around 125,000 years ago in present-day Germany. A recent study reveals that these ancient relatives may have established a “fat factory.” This method allowed them to extract valuable fat from animal bones, helping them avoid a dangerous condition known as protein poisoning. This condition can arise when one consumes too much protein without enough fat or carbs, which often happens in meat-heavy diets.

Before this study, most experts believed that resource management in human history began around 28,000 years ago, long after Neanderthals went extinct. But this finding pushes that timeline back significantly. The research, published in Science, changes our understanding of Neanderthal ingenuity.

The discovery came from analyzing 172 large animal remains—like horses and deer—at a site called Neumark-Nord. Researchers found evidence that Neanderthals crushed bones to access the marrow and then boiled them to extract grease. This process not only maximized their food intake but also indicates that they were much more sophisticated in their resource use than previously assumed.

“This shows surprisingly creative behavior from Neanderthals,” says archaeologist Osbjorn Pearson. He adds that the ability to cook and extract nutrients from animal remains reflects a significant level of intelligence.

Historically, Neanderthals thrived from around 400,000 years ago until they vanished about 34,000 years ago. They made tools, and possibly art, and now we discover they practiced resource management, too. “We know much about how they hunted, but not much about what happened after,” notes Lutz Kindler, the study’s first author.

The extraction process was labor-intensive, involving the crushing of bones into 2,000 fragments to obtain the grease. This indicates a clear necessity for their survival, especially considering they sometimes faced food scarcity.

Fat, as a calorie-dense nutrient, is crucial for survival. It provides over twice the calories per gram compared to carbohydrates and protein, highlighting its importance in Neanderthal diets. This calorie boost would have played a significant role in their overall health and reproductive success. Research shows how a robust diet can extend lifespan, further supporting human evolution.

Moreover, the findings suggest that Neanderthals may have had methods for food storage. This challenges earlier views, suggesting they might have been closer to modern foragers than previously thought. Understanding these behaviors can not only change our views on Neanderthals but also shed light on how early humans adapted and thrived.

Overall, these insights deepen our understanding of how Neanderthals lived and fed themselves, raising intriguing questions about our own human ancestry.

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