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Neanderthals may have used prehistoric glue as an ancient antibiotic

Europe, Central/Western Europe

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

Researchers have demonstrated that the adhesive birch tar synthesized by Neanderthals possesses inherent antibacterial properties. This suggests a higher level of medical cognition and an active effort by our hominin cousins to manage infection in their harsh environments.

Why This Matters

This finding reframes the 'Neanderthal toolkit' from simple mechanical utility to include complex chemical knowledge, suggesting that their survival strategies included early forms of self-medication.

Topic: Human evolution and health

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