Neanderthal's Common Human Condition: Unraveling the Mystery
Researchers have discovered a Neanderthal thumb bone with signs of osteoarthritis, providing the first evidence of this condition in a finger belonging to our extinct cousins. The study suggests that the arthritis may have developed due to repeated knocks and shocks sustained during regular flint knapping, causing severe pain and hindering daily tasks. Neanderthals' short limb bones made them highly susceptible to osteoarthritis, although it had not been detected in their hands until now. The cause of the condition remains uncertain, but it likely resulted from overuse of the hands during activities such as flint knapping or tanning animal skins.