A handout photo released on March 7, 2017 by Paleoanthropology Group MNCN-CSIC shows the upper jaw of Neanderthal El Sidron 1, found in what is today Spain, with a dental calculus deposit visible on the rear molar (right) (AFP Photo/Handout)
Paris (AFP) – Nearly 50,000 years before the invention of penicillin, a young Neanderthal tormented by a dental abscess ate greenery containing a natural antibiotic and pain killer, analysis of his teeth revealed Wednesday.
The male, who lived in El Sidron in what is now Spain, ate an antibiotic fungus called Penicillium and chewed on bits of poplar tree containing salicylic acid — the active ingredient of modern-day aspirin, researchers said.
The youngster’s fossilised jawbone reveals the ravages of an abscess, and his dental plaque contained the remnants of an intestinal parasite that causes acute diarrhoea, “so clearly he was quite sick,” they wrote in the journal Nature.
“Apparently, Neanderthals possessed a good knowledge of medicinal plants and their various anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties, and seem to be self-medicating,” said study co-author Alan Cooper of the University of Adelaide’s Australian Centre for Ancient DNA (ACAD).
“Certainly, our findings contrast markedly with the rather simplistic view of our ancient relatives in popular imagination,” he added.
This discovery not only sheds new light on the medical knowledge of our Neanderthal ancestors but also highlights the importance of dental health and the role it plays in our overall well-being. A dental abscess can cause excruciating pain and can lead to serious health complications if left untreated. It’s crucial to seek professional dental services, such as those provided by a qualified dentist on Queens blvd, at the first sign of dental issues to prevent further complications and ensure a speedy recovery. The findings of this study serve as a reminder of the importance of good dental hygiene and the value of seeking prompt dental care.
The study is the latest to recast our long-extinct cousins, long thought of as thick-skulled and slow-witted, in a more positive light.
Other recent findings have started to paint a picture of Neanderthals as sophisticated beings who made cave art, took care of the elderly, buried their dead and may have been the first jewellers — though they were probably also cannibals.
In 2012, a study in the journal Naturwissenschaften said Neanderthals appeared to have used medicinal herbs such as yarrow and chamomile.
Neanderthals lived in parts of Europe, Central Asia and the Middle East for up to 300,000 years but appear to have vanished some 40,000 years ago.
This coincided more or less with the arrival of homo sapiens out of Africa, where modern humans emerged some 200,000 years ago.
Neanderthals and homo sapiens interbred, leaving a small contribution of less than two percent to the DNA of all humans except for people from Africa, where Neanderthals never lived.
For the latest study, an international team did a genetic analysis of DNA trapped in the dental plaque of four Neanderthals — two from Spy Cave in Belgium and two from El Sidron.
Calcified plaque preserves the DNA of microorganisms that lived in the mouth, windpipe and stomach, as well as bits of food stuck between teeth — which can later reveal what a creature ate and what its state of health was.
From the oldest plaque ever to be genetically analysed, the team concluded the Belgian Neanderthals ate a diet of woolly rhino, wild sheep and mushrooms, living a hunter-gatherer lifestyle.
“Those from El Sidron Cave, on the other hand, showed no evidence for meat consumption, but appeared instead to have a largely vegetarian diet comprising pine nuts, moss, mushrooms and tree bark,” Cooper said in a statement.
El Sidron at the time was in a densely forested environment, added the study’s lead author Laura Weyrich, also from ACAD.
“In contrast, the Spy Neanderthals were living in a steppe-like environment, so it’s easy to picture large, beastly animals wandering around as a major source of food,” she told AFP.
The sick Spanish Neanderthal was the only one with traces of poplar or Penicillium in his dental plaque.
Sid N
There are reports that Sasquatch eat various herbs and vegetation as well as many reports of eating various tree barks. So perhaps they ingest various things as “medicine” other than a food source.
Glen K
(New Jersey) Although not about Bigfoot, I found that very interesting. Almost as amazing as Neanderthal self medicating all those years ago, is the fact that scientists could determine that through dental remains and DNA. I’ve always been So Grateful that I didn’t live before the advent of antibiotics, anesthesia, and pain killers!! Call me a baby- I admit it! I just can’t imagine life without them!
James M
I HAVE TO AGREE.
michael n
Dont forget toilet paper or the slogan “now without splinters”……ouch.
James M
THIS WAS VERY INTERESTING. FINALLY USING SCIENCE TO GIVE ANALOGIES TO BIGFOOT AND OTHER HOMINIDS AND NOT TALKING ABOUT FALL’IN ANGELS AND THE RELIGIOUS CRAP THAT COMES WITH IT!!
Michael L
The Goat herder speaks his hateful rhetoric again and again…LOL Do you not even listen to what the Science says, Neanderthals and Man shared 2% of their DNA. Dr. Melba Ketchum’s mitochondrial DNA proved that BF is a Human hybrid, DNA proves that they were made from us- Goat herder…LMAO
Michael1lion
James M
LOL
michael n
Yes the dna says a human hybrid but what was the human mixed with? There is nothing on this earth that matches the other side of the dna. Sorry my mind is drawing a blank on what it is called. So it has to be something not of this world. Since the bible is the only reference we have to something mixing with our human women I have to believe that. I didnt used to but im leaning that way now.
Charles R
The first writings we have of what you speak came from the Sumerians, at least according to Zacariah Sitchen. Look up Anunaki, it is rather fascinating. I have forgotten so much, read them all in the early 90s
Michael L
Exactly, I couldn’t agree with you more. The corruption of all flesh means all DNA was abused or manipulated. This also infers that mankind’s technology was far advanced than our own today. When the truth of the discover’s in Antarctica are revealed then we shall all know the truth and the skeptic fools will finally know their true place in the World… as Idiots and fools. Only the fools hear the truth and believe it to be a lie…
Michael1lion
Richard C
re: Human Hybrid, read a Sitchins books (Earth Chronicles) and Loyd Pyes book. Or just watch one of his videos. He present a very credible argument about Squatchs being real. Then he goes into Human Origins, of which I was very skeptical at first. But over the last few months, much of what he talked about (and Sitchin) seems very credible. Didn’t realize that the earth has thousands of Pyramids. Largest one recently discovered in Bosinia, it has been dated at being around 12 to 13 thousand years old. First civilization was the Sumerians, 6,000 years ago. They claim that many things were given to them by a race of giants that descended from the heavens. According to the Sumerians, their world is in an elliptical orbit around our Sun. The orbit takes 3,600 years. Pluto was once a moon of Saturn, gravitationally pulled out and put where it is today by their world. Their world is approx the size of Uranus and Neptune. So Our Science recently determined that Pluto is a moon, they can’t explain it’s orbit, plus they’re now searching for “Planet X”. A recent paper by a grad student in Mexico, determined that Planet X could be a Planet that was wandering and pulled into our Solar System. These are all things told by the Sumerians. There’s a lot more. Pretty interesting.
Michael L
Yes, some people believe that we are in fact part of a binary star system with the other star being a “Brown Dwarf”. The elliptical path could be every 2600 years if I remember correctly. Some thing came very close to Mars in our past and carved a huge gash out of it. Not to mention the asteroid belt which could have been another planet. According to the theory of an Electromagnetic Plasma Universe: In this theory Suns- Stars are not consuming Hydrogen to burn, but are plasma phenomena- similar to the “Eye of the Storm” plasma lights that you can purchase. The whole Sumerian theory opens up a whole new World view, although there will always be “Goat Herders” like the fool previously mentioned..
Michael1lion
Daniel S
It’s been said for a long time that Neanderthals where as smart as homosapians, as for the beingings or true origin’s of modern man, archaeology tells us much, religion has it’s birth about the same time, none of popular religions of today. although they do match later popular religious beliefs. It is important to remember that Greek Asian Roman documentation proves that earth god’s where the norm, or that these god’s had homosapians representatives. So is what we if religious call God created us, the more puzzling question is what is God or god’s and this it still leaving out the theory of evolution
Richard C
Stchin pointed out that what the Sumerians wrote shows up in many religions, including the Old Testament. The Sumerians were told by this alien race (of giants) that we were created (DNA Manipulation) to be slaves/workers. They came to earth to mine our GOLD which was needed to repair their atmosphere. When they ran out of gold in “What is now Iraq”, they discovered massive amounts of gold in South Africa and split the world up into two regions. Upper World and Lower, each ruled by a son of their leader. The lower world was ruled by a son, whose name is ENKI. The aliens had to work the deep mines themselves, which was very difficult. They revolted and demanded that something be done about it, ENKI was a scientist, they decided to create a worker that was strong enough and smart enough to do the work, but not too smart (when compared to them) and not too strong. The Sumerians wrote that the first man was called ADAM-U, the valley in the upper world where they originally settled was called the EDIN. Sumerians wrote that they were told that man was made in their image, approx 250,000 years ago, in South Africa. Our science determined that they could trace how old man was and our origins by using MicroCondial (I know spelling is wrong 🙂 ) which is passed down from generation to generation. Each time they tested it and traced our origins, they came up with our “existence” on earth has been for about 250,000 years old and our origins were in South Africa. This is Exactly what the Sumerians wrote 6,000 years ago. Loyd Pye in his talks shows how it looks like our DNA was manipulated, we’re the only species that has approx 4,000 genetic defects. How does that happen in such a short period of time (250,000 years when compared to millions of years for other animals). They knew about all the planets, they knew about Uranus, Neptune and Pluto. Also knew of the Asteroid belt and it’s origins (which still baffles science today). Original theory was that it was created when a planet got close to one of the larger planets, but there’s not enough material in the asteroid belot to make a planet. One thing that has puzzled our scientists, was how did we get all of our water. Originally they speculated that it was brought here by comets. They found a way to test that theory by measuring the amount of heavy water (the earth has a certain ratio of heavy to normal water) in the comets. Well they tested that theory and it got shot down, comets have much heavier water content than what we do here on Earth. Then they decided to look at the asteroid belt, guess what, it matches. The heavy water ratio in the asteroid belot matches what we have here on Earth. Now they’re trying to figure out, how did enough asteroids hit the earth, and they can’t figure it out. Well if they read Sitchins books, the Sumerians explain it, the Earth originally was in orbit beyond Mars, there was a collision of worlds, part of Earth was sheared off, and the Earth (and it’s moon) was knocked into the orbit it’s in today. So part of the crust of Earth was lost, have you ever loooked at a map of the Earth without the oceans, looks like a deep scar, there’s a lot of missing crust, plus we have plate tectonics. In the collision, the Sumerians state that the crust was “cracked”, that would explain that. This all coming from a civilization, 6,000 years ago. They also document the great flood, the building of an ark. Originally the alien leader on Earth wanted to wipe out MAN and was going to allow the flood to do just that. But ENKI intervened, knew the flood was coming (breaking off of ICE was gong to happen) and helped make the Ark happen. All Pretty fascinating. I’m pretty sure it’s 3,600 year orbit. Oh yea, Loyd makes the point that what we’re told are our ancestors , are not, they are the ancestors of the squatches that live today. Makes sense. If you look at Neanderthals, they have the sloping forehead, long arms and feet just like Squatch tracks.
Richard C
One other thing, the making of a slave/worker, they wanted to make them smart, but not too smart. We only have the ability to use about 10% of our brains. There’s about 90% that is not being used, Loyd Pye believed it was a partition that was erected to keep us from being as smart as they were. Occasionally something happens where someone that has damage to their brains breaks into that “other side”. Those are the Savants that can play the piano, or are genius’s in mathematics.We could actually be walking genius’s 🙂 Someday our science will figure out how to break through that partition.
Dayna A
wow ,this is all sooo fascinating !!!! love it !!!!
James M
I believe in SCIENCE !!!! EVOLUTION !!!!! Religion is for small minded people to explain things they don’t understand around them period !
Amy H
Spot on James! Nothing more needs to be said.
Richard C
RE: Evolution, two types “Macro” and “Micro”. Macro is wholesale change from one species to a different type of specie. Micro is a slight change or modification to a specie in response to its environment, the species itself does not change. Just a slight change, like brains getting larger or a beak getting longer, etc. Did you know that there’s absolutely no evidence of “Macro” Evolution, there’s nothing that shows gills doing a gradual change into a lung, or one species evolving into another type. Micro Evolution is what Darwin actually observed, he speculated about Macro Evolution and made the assumption that one species can “transform” over a long period of time into another species. No proof exists of that, absolutely none. Even what evolutionists claim as being our ancestors, don’t really appear to be our ancestors. There’s not one single bone in the remains of those, that even comes close to HUMANS. That’s why they claim there must be a missing link out there, but 140 years and counting , they still have not found it. There’s no physical connection between us and what they claim we came from. Then the kicker is, if we were descended from these, that means our ancestory should be traced back “millions of years”, but it didn’t. It traced back approx 250,000 years, to South Africa. So we appeared suddenly. Loyd Pye lays all of this out, what I’m telling you here is in his books and he talks about in his lectures. It’s all fascinating.
Richard C
One other thing I forgot to mention, the Earth has undergone several “total wipe outs” of very large portions of life. Last one recorded wiped out the dinosaurs. A very large percentage just killed off. What’s amazing is that “shortly.. in geological time” after each destruction of life, life “re-appears” almost instantaneously. Predators, Prey, fully evolved, as Loyd put it, it’s almost as if there’s a “Cosmic Dump Truck” out there, that says, Earth needs new life forms, and starts sprinkling life back on the planet within a relatively short period of time.
Richard C
Sorry, one more. You know how Wes in some of his interviews, points out how the government seems to be “actively” working to suppress the idea that Squatch’s exists. Either through intimidation, suppression of the facts and at times it seems they attack/discourage researchers (good ones) from sharing what they know (like our Friend Bob Garrett). Well, this whole pyramid thing that I’ve been looking at, the discovery of the “huge” pyramid in Bosnia, did you know that there were “international” attempts to suppress that? They even so far as to pressure the government to not allow “permits” to unearth it. When you look at the picture of it, it’s pretty obvious that there’s a Pyramid there. There were even scientists from Europe and the USA that came out and said, “there’s not a Pyramid there”, they refused to go and examine it, but still insisted that it did not exist and that the person who discovered it, is doing a giant Hoax. He heads up a non government funded organization, that relies on private funds. The government gave in to “international” pressure and would grant him a permit to dig. After many years of not touching the site, they finally brought a law suit against their government and won. They’ve started uncovering it and are finding fascinating things, like tunnels, it’s emitting a steady energy that comes out of the top of 28Khz,:) (made me think of beacons for landing craft or markers)? They discovered a form of “concrete” that is superior to the concrete we use today. When he took it to an “Italian” scientists who is an expert on Concrete, the scientists refused to accept what they had found and “Claimed that everyone knows” the Romans Invented Concrete :). Recently they were able to do “Carbon” dating of some organic material that was trapped between layers of stone, it’s age is approx 30,000 years. All pretty fascinating.