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Neanderthals may have used prehistoric glue as an ancient antibiotic

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Reported by sciencedaily.com · Sat, 10 Oct 2026 20:45:37 EDT

This study demonstrates that Neanderthals likely leveraged birch tar not only for its mechanical utility as a glue but also for its medicinal applications against wound infections. By experimenting with recreated production techniques, researchers have illuminated a sophisticated level of prehistoric pharmacology.

Why This Matters

It challenges the perception of Neanderthals as cognitively inferior, showcasing their capacity to identify and utilize chemical properties of local resources to ensure survival.

Topic: Human Evolution

Editorial summary by Anthropalooza. The original reporting belongs to sciencedaily.com.