Neandertals really knew their way around a fire. In a sea cave sheltered from the blustery winds of Gibraltar, our ancient cousins created a hearth capable of making tar from nearby plants, a new study suggests.
Previous research has shown Neandertals used tar as an adhesive for crafting weapons, and that they used fires for heat and cooking (SN: 8/31/17). Yet the new finding, reported November 12 in Quaternary Science Reviews, suggests Neandertals designed specialized fire structures to make tar itself.
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