Neanderthal tooth shows earliest evidence of dentistry

13 Mwezi wa tano, 2026

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A 59,000-year-old tooth from a Siberian cave reveals that Neanderthals drilled into cavities to treat decay. The discovery pushes back the origins of dentistry by tens of thousands of years. Researchers identified clear marks from stone tools on the molar.

The lower second molar was found in the Altai mountains of south-western Siberia. It features three overlapping drilled depressions that reached the pulp chamber. Scientists from the Russian Academy of Sciences concluded the work was deliberate and performed with pointed stone tools made of jasper.

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Ancient DNA reveals Neanderthal group in Polish cave

Researchers have analyzed mitochondrial DNA from eight Neanderthal teeth found in Stajnia Cave in Poland, reconstructing the genetic profile of a small group that lived there around 100,000 years ago. The study, published in Current Biology, marks the first such multi-individual genetic picture from a single site north of the Carpathians. The findings show genetic links to Neanderthals across Europe and the Caucasus.

Ancient teeth proteins suggest Homo erectus interbred with Denisovans

13 Mwezi wa tano, 2026 Imeripotiwa na AI

Researchers have extracted meaningful proteins from six teeth believed to belong to Homo erectus, offering new molecular clues about the species' relationships with other ancient hominins. The findings point to possible interbreeding with Denisovans in Asia around 400,000 years ago.

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Ice age humans in China crafted advanced stone tools

Europe

Ancient DNA uncovers population replacement near Paris around 3000 BC

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Ancient DNA uncovers complex kin relations in Swedish Stone Age graves

Study reveals tyrannosaurs scavenged their own kind

A 75-million-year-old fossilized foot bone from Montana shows bite marks from a smaller tyrannosaur feeding on a much larger relative. Researchers used 3D scans to document this evidence of scavenging behavior. The finding, published this year, highlights opportunistic feeding among these ancient predators.

Paleontologists discover 275-million-year-old twisted-jaw species

1 Mwezi wa tano, 2026 Imeripotiwa na AI

Scientists have identified a new species of ancient animal, Tanyka amnicola, from fossils unearthed in a dry riverbed in Brazil. Dating back 275 million years, this stem tetrapod featured a highly unusual twisted jaw suggesting it ground plant material. The discovery sheds light on early Permian life in Gondwana.

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