Neanderthals may have actively shaped their prehistoric landscapes through fire and activity
In short: Researchers analyzing high-resolution data from a 125,000-year-old site in Germany found evidence that Neanderthals left a distinct ecological footprint. By studying the Neumark-Nord lake landscape, the team observed that a continuous 2,000-year presence of hominins coincided with notably open vegetation and the use of fire.
The study compared paleoenvironmental and archaeological data from Neumark-Nord with other regional sites to identify human-driven changes. This provides an early example of how hominins contributed to vegetation transformation, though the researchers note that detecting such cause-effect dynamics in the deep past remains challenging.
Why it matters: Neanderthals were not just passive inhabitants but likely played a role in transforming their ecosystems.
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Sources
- Source: Research: Roebroeks et al. (2021). Landscape modification by Last Interglacial Neanderthals. Science Advances. · cc-by
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