By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Pew PatriotsPew PatriotsPew Patriots
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
  • Home
  • News
  • Tactical
  • Guns and Gear
  • Prepping & Survival
  • Videos
Reading: Neanderthals extracted animal fat in advanced food prep ‘fat factories’ 125,000 years ago: report
Share
Font ResizerAa
Pew PatriotsPew Patriots
  • News
  • Tactical
  • Guns and Gear
  • Prepping & Survival
  • Videos
Search
  • Home
  • News
  • Tactical
  • Guns and Gear
  • Prepping & Survival
  • Videos
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
Neanderthals extracted animal fat in advanced food prep ‘fat factories’ 125,000 years ago: report
News

Neanderthals extracted animal fat in advanced food prep ‘fat factories’ 125,000 years ago: report

Jimmie Dempsey
Last updated: July 5, 2025 4:21 am
Jimmie Dempsey Published July 5, 2025
Share
SHARE

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Neanderthals living 125,000 years ago in what is now modern-day Germany may have extracted and eaten fat from animal bones through an organized food preparation process that scientists describe as a “fat factory.”

While excavating the site of a former lake landscape called Neumark-Nord, archaeologists discovered thousands of bones from at least 172 large mammals, along with flint artifacts. The bones, which date back to an interglacial period in which Neanderthals lived, were from animals like red deer and horses, according to a study published on July 2 in Science Advances.

While many of the bones that contained less bone marrow were spread out across the archaeological site, researchers observed that many of the marrow-rich bones were located in clusters — sites they call “fat factories.” 

RARE CHRISTIAN CROSS AMONG SPECTACULAR 1,000-YEAR-OLD VIKING TREASURES FOUND BY METAL DETECTORISTS

Researchers believe our extinct ancestors used tools to smash the bones into small fragments and then boiled them for hours. The grease, which then floated to the surface of the water, could be skimmed off the top and eaten — providing a calorie-dense food source for the archaic people.

VIKING-ERA BURIAL SITE WITH ELITE FAMILY TREASURES AND GIFTS DISCOVERED, PLUS AN ‘UNUSUAL CASKET’

Prior to this, evidence of the practice had only dated back to 28,000 years ago, according to the research.

red deer stag

“Neanderthals were clearly managing resources with precision — planning hunts, transporting carcasses, and rendering fat in a task-specific area,” Dr. Lutz Kindler, the study’s first author, said. “They understood both the nutritional value of fat and how to access it efficiently — most likely involving caching carcass parts at places in the landscape for later transport to and use at the grease rendering site.

MYSTERIOUS ‘DUMPED’ BODIES OF WOMAN AND CHILD FOUND BY ARCHAEOLOGISTS IN PICTURESQUE TOWN

Fat was a “life-sustaining” resource for Neanderthals, especially during the winter and spring seasons when carbohydrates were scarce. Their diets consisted largely of animal protein, and consuming lots of protein without other nutrients could lead to a sometimes deadly condition called protein poisoning, the research noted.

Pickaxe, trowel and brush. Tools in an archaeological excavation

“The sheer size and extraordinary preservation of the Neumark-Nord site complex gives us a unique chance to study how Neanderthals impacted their environment, both animal and plant life,” Dr. Fulco Scherjon, data manager and computer scientist on the project, said. “That’s incredibly rare for a site this old—and it opens exciting new possibilities for future research.”

In recent years, scientists have also discovered that Neanderthals went diving for seashells that they could chip with stone hammers into thin and sharp cutting edges. Similarly, another study suggested Neanderthals may have buried their dead with flowers.

Researchers Lutz Kindler and Wil Roebroeks did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Read the full article here

You Might Also Like

Woman refuses to let her friend borrow car again after it was trashed the first time

Man dies after being pulled into MRI machine by metal necklace he was wearing

Texas DOGE bill passes Senate to streamline state regulations

Mother, 2 children dead in NYC after suspended driver allegedly mows them down

One year after Biden’s unprecedented exit from 2024 race, Democrats poll numbers at rock bottom

Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Email Print
Leave a Comment

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

We Recommend
Chargers end 7-game losing streak to Chiefs with statement win in Brazil season opener
News

Chargers end 7-game losing streak to Chiefs with statement win in Brazil season opener

Jimmie Dempsey Jimmie Dempsey September 6, 2025
Chiefs star Xavier Worthy leaves Chargers game with shoulder injury after colliding with Travis Kelce
Idaho killer left behind ‘catastrophic’ evidence that fast-tracked his capture, investigators reveal
Joe Kennedy III blasts RFK Jr. after fiery Senate hearing, fueling Kennedy family infighting: ‘He must resign’
Austin unveils $1M logo redesign, congressman blasts ‘woke’ rebrand as Cracker Barrel-style flop
ICE tells Kilmar Abrego Garcia he’ll be deported to tiny African country
A closer look at Air Force One and the executive fleet
News

A closer look at Air Force One and the executive fleet

Jimmie Dempsey Jimmie Dempsey September 5, 2025
Boker Saved Room for Desert with the Barchan
Guns and Gear

Boker Saved Room for Desert with the Barchan

Jimmie Dempsey Jimmie Dempsey September 5, 2025
Are They Setting The Stage For NATO To Officially Enter The War With Russia?
Prepping & Survival

Are They Setting The Stage For NATO To Officially Enter The War With Russia?

Jimmie Dempsey Jimmie Dempsey September 5, 2025
Pew Patriots
  • News
  • Tactical
  • Prepping & Survival
  • Videos
  • Guns and Gear
2024 © Pew Patriots. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?