Neanderthal medics? Evidence for food, cooking, and medicinal plants entrapped in dental calculus

Neanderthals disappeared sometime between 30,000 and 24,000?years ago. Until recently, Neanderthals were understood to have been predominantly meat-eaters; however, a growing body of evidence suggests their diet also included plants. We present the results of a study, in which sequential thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) and pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC-MS) were combined with morphological analysis of plant microfossils, to identify material entrapped in dental calculus from five Neanderthal individuals from the north Spanish site of El Sidrón. Our results provide the first molecular evidence for inhalation of wood-fire smoke and bitumen or oil shale and ingestion of a range of cooked plant foods. We also offer the first evidence for the use of medicinal plants by a Neanderthal individual. The varied use of plants that we have identified suggests that the Neanderthal occupants of El Sidrón had a sophisticated knowledge of their natural surroundings which included the ability to select and use certain plants.     

A seasonal cycle of terrestrial inputs in Lake Van, Turkey

Lake Van in Turkey is the world's largest soda lake (607 km(3)). The lake's catchment area is estimated to be ～12,500 km(2), and the terrestrial input is carried through eolian, riverine, snowmelt and anthropogenic paths. Extent and seasonality of the terrestrial inputs to the lake have not been studied, but it is essential to evaluate its environmental status and to assess the use of environmental proxies to estimate the lake's response to climate changes. This study aims to measure seasonal changes in terrestrial input of natural and anthropogenic origin as recorded by the fluxes of pollen and biomarkers of soil bacteria and vascular or higher plants, as well as petrogenic biomarkers in monthly resolved sediment traps from August 2006 to July 2007. Fluxes of pollen, soil and higher plant biomarkers seem to be related to precipitation and snowmelt in autumn and spring. In addition, dust storms, which are common during the summer months, may have resulted in long-distance transport. Anthropogenic biomarker fluxes indicate year-round petrogenic contamination although some mature biomarker fluxes are higher in summer and in late winter-spring. The relative changes between petrogenic markers indicate variations in the pollutant sources.     

Spatiotemporal variation of dissolved (238)U in the Gironde fluvial-estuarine system (France)

Dissolved uranium ((238)U(D)) was measured within the Gironde fluvial-estuarine system (France), which is well known for its heavy metal pollution and its subsequent environmental effects. Dissolved (238)U activities exhibit the highest levels and variability in the small watersheds of the Isle and Riou-Mort rivers, ascribed to low discharges and the occurrence of peculiar features (local U ore deposits; Permian layers). The major tributaries of the Gironde Estuary: Garonne, Lot and Dordogne, show rather stable (238)U(D), higher than the global mean riverine uranium activity. In the Gironde Estuary (238)U(D) behaves conservatively along the river-estuary-ocean transect. Dissolved (238)U distribution in the Gironde fluvial-estuarine system can be explained by the characteristics of considered drainage basins. There is no evidence of anthropogenic pollution.     

Correction to: Human behavior and Homo-mammal interactions at the first European peopling: new evidence from the Pirro Nord site (Apricena,Southern Italy)

The Science of Nature - Female-only colour polymorphism is rare in birds, but occurs in brood parasitic cuckoos (Cuculidae). Obligate brood parasites leave incubation and parental care to other...