A new study published in Science Advances reveals that Neanderthals in central Germany 125,000 years ago employed advanced food preparation techniques. At the Neumark-Nord 2 site, they systematically extracted fat from large animal bones using water and heat, demonstrating sophisticated resource management and nutritional understanding. This practice, involving crushing bones and boiling them for bone grease, was previously thought to be limited to later modern humans. The discovery challenges previous assumptions about Neanderthal intelligence and their impact on the environment, showing them to be capable of long-term planning and resource optimization.

Prepared by Olivia Bennett and reviewed by editorial team.