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Faecal fossils show Neanderthals ate plants

WASHINGTON — The discovery of the oldest known human poop is offering valuable scientific insight into the life of Neanderthals, who lived in Spain about 50,000 years ago.

WASHINGTON — The discovery of the oldest known human poop is offering valuable scientific insight into the life of Neanderthals, who lived in Spain about 50,000 years ago.

Scientists said on Wednesday they found five samples of human faecal matter at an archeological site called El Salt, in the floor of a rock shelter where Neanderthals once lived.

Analysis of the samples provided a new understanding of the diet of this extinct human species, offering the first evidence that Neanderthals were omnivores who also ate vegetables as part of their meat-heavy diet, they said.

“So far, it is the only fossil evidence that gives us information on the ingestion and the regular meals of our ancestors,” said one of the researchers, geoarchaeologist Ainara Sistiaga from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and University of La Laguna. “Understanding the diet of past human species closely related to our own will help us gain perspective on our evolutionary constraints and adaptability.”

The researchers examined the faecal fossils for biologically derived indicators of the types of food the Neanderthals ate.

Their findings indicated that Neanderthals predominantly consumed meat, as suggested by high amounts of one such “biomarker” called coprostanol formed by the bacterial reduction of cholesterol in the gut. But they also found evidence of significant plant intake as shown by the presence of a compound called 5 beta-stigmastanol, found in plant sources.

Neanderthals are the closest extinct relative to our species, Homo sapiens, and disappeared after early modern humans first trekked into Europe from Africa. They are believed to have prospered across Europe and Asia from roughly 250,000 to 40,000 years ago and interbred with Homo sapiens before vanishing.

Scientists have previously hypothesised that Neanderthals were largely carnivorous, with perhaps some vegetables in their diet, but never had direct evidence such as these fossils provided.

“Sometimes in prehistoric societies, individuals used their teeth as tools, biting plants among other things. We can’t assume they were actually eating plants based on finding microfossils in teeth,” Ms Sistiaga said.

The El Salt site shows evidence of long-time Neanderthal occupation, with numerous fireplaces and stone tools as well as animal and human remains.

The researchers could not identify the specific types of food eaten, but noted that animal remains suggested the Neanderthals hunted deer and horses. Ms Sistiaga said evidence showed the presence of berries, nuts and tubers. REUTERS

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