Neanderthals' Advanced Fat Processing Techniques Revealed in New Study

Recent research has uncovered that Neanderthals, approximately 125,000 years ago, engaged in sophisticated methods of extracting and processing animal fats. Archaeologists from MONREPOS (Leibniz Zentrum für Archäologie, Germany) and Leiden University (The Netherlands) investigated the Neumark-Nord 2 site in central Germany, a lakeside location rich in archaeological remains. Their findings indicate that Neanderthals not only broke bones to extract marrow but also crushed large mammal bones into numerous fragments to render calorie-rich bone grease through heating them in water. This discovery challenges previous assumptions about Neanderthal subsistence strategies, suggesting a level of resource management and planning previously underestimated in these early humans. The study, published in *Science Advances*, provides valuable insights into the dietary practices and ecological engagement of Neanderthal communities during the Middle Paleolithic period.