New research reveals a Stone Age "fat factory" in Germany, where Neanderthals systematically processed animal bones to extract fat for nutrition. Archaeologists unearthed 120,000 bone fragments and 16,000 flint tools at the Neumark-Nord site, indicating a sophisticated understanding of nutrition and resource management. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about Neanderthal intelligence and highlights their ability to plan hunts, store food, and utilize resources efficiently to avoid protein poisoning. The Neanderthals likely boiled the bones in containers to extract the fat, potentially supplementing it with plants for flavor and additional nutrients.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.