Neanderthals Extracted Animal Fat In Advanced Food Prep Process 125,000 Years Ago: Report

Neanderthals surviving 125,000 years ago successful what is now modern-day Germany whitethorn person extracted and eaten fat from animal bones done an organized nutrient mentation process that scientists picture arsenic a ‘fat factory.’

While excavating nan tract of a erstwhile reservoir scenery called Neumark-Nord, archaeologists discovered thousands of bones from astatine slightest 172 ample mammals, on pinch flint artifacts. The bones, which day backmost to an interglacial play successful which Neanderthals lived, were from animals for illustration reddish cervid and horses, according to a study published connected July 2 successful Science Advances.

While galore of nan bones that contained little bony marrow were dispersed retired crossed nan archaeological site, researchers observed that galore of nan marrow-rich bones were located successful clusters — sites they telephone ‘fat factories.’ 

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A image taken connected September 6, 2021 shows nan reconstruction of nan look of nan oldest Neanderthal recovered successful nan Netherlands, nicknamed Krijn, connected show astatine nan National Museum of Antiquities successful Leiden. (BART MAAT/ANP/AFP via Getty Images)

Researchers judge our extinct ancestors utilized devices to smash nan bones into mini fragments and past boiled them for hours. The grease, which past floated to nan aboveground of nan water, could beryllium skimmed disconnected nan apical and eaten — providing a calorie-dense nutrient root for nan archaic people.

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Prior to this, grounds of nan believe had only dated backmost to 28,000 years ago, according to nan research.

FILE PHOTO: A reddish cervid stag is pictured here. The bones, which day backmost to an interglacial play successful which Neanderthals lived, were from animals for illustration reddish cervid and horses. (Getty Images)

"Neanderthals were intelligibly managing resources pinch precision — readying hunts, transporting carcasses, and rendering fat successful a task-specific area," Dr. Lutz Kindler, nan study’s first author, said. "They understood some nan nutritional worth of fat and really to entree it efficiently — astir apt involving caching star parts astatine places successful nan scenery for later carrier to and usage astatine nan grease rendering site.

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Fat was a "life-sustaining" assets for Neanderthals, particularly during nan wintertime and outpouring seasons erstwhile carbohydrates were scarce. Their diets consisted mostly of animal protein, and consuming tons of macromolecule without different nutrients could lead to a sometimes deadly information called macromolecule poisoning, nan investigation noted.

FILE PHOTO: Tools utilized successful an archaeological excavation are seen here. (Getty Images)

"The sheer size and bonzer preservation of nan Neumark-Nord tract analyzable gives america a unsocial chance to study really Neanderthals impacted their environment, some animal and works life," Dr. Fulco Scherjon, information head and machine intelligence connected nan project, said. "That’s incredibly uncommon for a tract this old—and it opens breathtaking caller possibilities for early research."

In caller years, scientists person besides discovered that Neanderthals went diving for seashells that they could spot pinch chromatic hammers into bladed and crisp cutting edges. Similarly, different study suggested Neanderthals whitethorn person buried their dormant pinch flowers.

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Researchers Lutz Kindler and Wil Roebroeks did not instantly respond to Fox News Digital's petition for comment.