Neanderthals Were Cannibals

Neanderthals ate each other or at least recent research shows that this species of early humans sometimes consumed human flesh. According to Science Magazine, the results of studies on bones found in a cave in Belgium indicate that Neanderthals were also cannibals. These bones have been kept in a museum in Brussels since the early 19th century. With advancements in archaeological technologies, scientists can now reconstruct the living conditions of Neanderthals based on the DNA of the remaining bones. When researchers examined these bones, they had no doubt about what happened to the deceased Neanderthals. Throughout these bones, signs of bending and biting are evident. This means that flesh was removed from these bones. The results of these new findings, published in the journal Scientific Reports, also indicate that these bones were used to shape stone tools. These bones are estimated to be 40,000 to 45,000 years old. Neanderthals lived in Europe and Western Asia for about 200,000 years before the arrival of modern humans. Scientists believe that modern humans retained some of the DNA of Neanderthals during evolution, which was beneficial in overcoming environmental challenges outside Africa. In 2010, scientists announced that the ancestors of modern humans living in Africa (Homo sapiens) encountered and interbred with another type of early human, namely Neanderthals, after migrating to Europe and Asia. Currently, 1 to 4 percent of modern humans' genes trace back to Neanderthals.