Neanderthal 'Fat Factory' Rewrites Understanding of Ancient Resource Management

A groundbreaking study published in Science Advances reveals that Neanderthals in central Germany 125,000 years ago employed sophisticated techniques to extract bone grease from large animals using water and heat. Discovered at the Neumark-Nord 2 site, this 'fat factory' demonstrates a level of nutritional planning and resource management previously unseen in Neanderthals. The findings challenge the stereotypical image of brutish cavemen, portraying Neanderthals as capable of complex social organization and advanced survival strategies with long-term environmental impacts.