Neanderthals Clever Enough To Make 'Superglue'

Ananova ^ | 0106-2002

[blam]

Neanderthals clever enough to make 'superglue'

Researchers say Neanderthals had considerable technical and intellectual skills and were as ingenious as modern humans.

German scientists say they have found Neanderthals mixed a kind of superglue to make tools.

It had to be made at a precise temperature and means the race had considerable technical and manual skills in comparison to their dullard image.

Neanderthals are thought to have first appeared around 230,000 to 300,000 years ago.

Professor Chris Stringer, head of human origins at the Natural History Museum in London, said the discovery is potentially very important: "It would further show that the behaviour gap between us and Neanderthals is narrower than we thought. Some may say there isn't a gap."

Independent reports that the research centres on a new analysis of two 80,000-year-old samples of blackish-brown pitch discovered in a lignite mining pit in the Harz mountains in Germany.

One of the pitch pieces bears the print of a finger and there are also imprints of a flint stone tool and wood, suggesting the pitch had served as a sort of glue to secure a wooden shaft to a flint stone blade.

The research, carried out at the Doerner-Institut in Munich, found the pitch was a birch pitch, which can be only be produced at temperatures of 300-400C.

The team, led by Professor Dietrich Mania of Freidrich-Schiller University in Jena, said: "This implies the Neanderthals did not come across these pitches by accident but must have produced them with intent."

"The pitch finds demonstrate that the Neanderthals must have possessed a high degree of technical and manual abilities, comparable to those of modern Homo sapiens.''

Story filed: 12:45 Sunday 6th January 2002

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

What a testimonial! You should contact the Popeil people and let them know (seriously).

"It slices, it dices! And John O has been using this model ever since it came on the market!"

http://shop.ronco.com/about/

(Ping to Lady Composer just for fun.)

[Lady Composer]

I had no idea Ronco was that guy! He could probably sell ice to Alaskans!

[ralph rotten]

5'10" is tall???

[cynicom]

Krauts are just trying to show that their ancestors knew a little something. Only thing they passed on to their offspring was how to make kraut.

[Old Professer]

5'11"?

[Old Professer]

This is why you should never buy used National Geographic magazines.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Yeah - Ronco as in Ron [Popeil] Company. The same people that make the spray-on hair!

GLH Formula Number 9 Hair System

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Ron Popeil = Harold Hill - same guy!!! (grin)

[Lady Composer]

Ha!

[Eternal_Bear]

Neandertals had bone structures twice as large as sapiens meaning they could support massive musculature. That means they could have body slammed NFL linemen. The breakage in their bones are similar to the ones sustained by rodeo riders indicating that they gang tackled their prey, something sapiens would were too wise and wimpy to do. We invented spears, slings and bows to bring down prey. It does not improve the survival of the species if the hunters are being killed or crippled by the prey.

Maybe the fabled Bigfoot is a branch of Erectus or even Neanderthal? If it exists, it would be some kind of Homo species.

[null and void]

Oooooo! Will you marry me?

[blam]

"Maybe the fabled Bigfoot is a branch of Erectus or even Neanderthal? "

I believe it would go back to a branch perhaps before these guys. I've read about the Neanderthals having bones that look like those of rodeo riders, rough life. They did have spears and those spear thrower things though.

[null and void]

Atalatl or womera

[blam]

"Atalatl or womera"

I think the first you mentioned.

[Cronos]

MOre likely orc cities

[Cronos]

They were not a different race, but something more distinct.

[null and void]

Either, depending on whether you prefer the New World or Australian term.

[blam]

"Either, depending on whether you prefer the New World or Australian term."

Okay, thanks. I thought I recognized 'atalatl.'

[Aracelis]

Flatterer! I'll bet you ask all the girls that same question.

[null and void]

Nope. Very few. If your heart belongs to Radio Astronomer, I'll understand...