Neanderthal 'glue' points to complex thinking

[Judi Lynn]

By Paul Rincon
Science editor, BBC News website
5 hours ago



RIJKSMUSEUM VAN OUDHEDEN

The birch-tar handled tool made by Neanderthals 50,000 years ago


Traces of ancient "glue" on a stone tool from 50,000 years ago points to complex thinking by Neanderthals, experts say.

The glue was made from birch tar in a process that required forward planning and involved several different steps.

It adds to mounting evidence that we have underestimated the capabilities of our evolutionary cousins.

Only a handful of Neanderthal tools bear signs of adhesive, but experts say the process could have been widespread.

More:
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-50131120

[Beakybird]

1. What brought their demise? Sniffing the glue or putting it on their toothbrushes?

[unblock]

2. Hopefully Donnie will be the last of them, at least in terms of political power....

[JDC]

5. seriously, very funny!!

[FirstLight]

3. Interesting...

I make "wands"...sticks with crystals wrapped and decorated with feathers...
Nobody taught me and it's been a process over the years. I began using pine pitch melted to fix the stones, then also used wax as a way to bind the feathers together before wrapping with cord...

"Human" ingenuity?

[abqtommy]

4. The term "Neanderthal" describes a group of humans that were well-adapted for

survival in cold climates. They had a well-developed society with skill in creating art and burial
ceremonies. The Neanderthals gave us red and blonde hair and eyes colored blue or green. They had larger brains than homo sapiens and the use of the tern "Neanderthal" is used in a perjorative way in error. All homo sapiens in the northern hemisphere carry small amounts of Neanderthal DNA at the present time, showing that Neanderthals didn't go extinct, they became us through interbreeding..