Tools used by Neanderthals unearthed

Archaeologists unearthed 171000-year-old tools attributed to the Neanderthals at Poggetti Vecchi, Grosseto, Central Italy. The findings provide evidence that the Neanderthals used fire to craft them.

Isotope study reveals dietary habits of Neanderthals

Analysis of stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes in the bones of early humans from the Buran Kaya caves on the Crimean Peninsula, Russia-occupied Ukraine, and the locally present potential prey animals such as Saiga, horses, and deer, revealed that early modern humans consumed more plants than Neanderthals but ate very little fish.

Neanderthal and Denisovan DNA samples extracted from sediments

A new technique developed by an international team allowed to trace the remains of groups of hominids in sediments even in caves or in strata which have no skeletal remains. the researchers analysed 85 samples of sediments from the Pleistocene, between 550000 and 14000 years ago, from eight Eurasian caves, including El Sidrón (Spain) and Denisova Cave (Russia).

Rock with crystals points to behaviour of Neanderthals

Archaeologists discovered a piece of split limestone excavated over 100 years ago in Krapina, northern Croatia, suggesting that a Neanderthal collected the rock due to the crystal inclusions on the surface and brought it to the cave, possibly motivated by curiosity or intrigued by it, 130000 years ago.