Neanderthals

Neanderthal gene variant linked to greater muscle mass in modern humans

A Neanderthal version of the growth hormone receptor causes cells to grow about 40 percent more in response to growth hormone and is associated with greater muscle mass in people who carry it today, according to a study published on…

Ancient crayons show Neanderthals created symbolic art

A remarkably preserved 42,000-year-old yellow ochre crayon discovered in Crimea provides the strongest evidence yet that Neanderthals engaged in symbolic art creation, according to research published this week in Science Advances. The ancient coloring tool, which remains sharp after millennia,…

100,000-year-old burial site found in Israeli cave

Archaeologists in central Israel have uncovered what they believe to be one of the world's oldest burial sites, containing human remains dating back 100,000 years that were carefully arranged in ceremonial positions with ritual objects. The discovery at Tinshemet Cave…

Scientists discover first known Neanderthal footprints in Portugal

An international team of scientists has discovered the first known Neanderthal footprints in Portugal, preserved in ancient sand dunes along the southwestern coast and dating back approximately 80,000 years ago, providing unprecedented insights into how these early humans navigated coastal…

Neanderthals ran a ‘fat factory’ 125,000 years ago, study finds

According to recent research published in Science Advances, archaeologists have discovered evidence that Neanderthals operated a sophisticated "fat factory" in present-day Germany approximately 125,000 years ago, where they systematically processed bones from at least 172 large mammals to extract nutrient-rich…