"Insights into the Ecology and Diet of 45,000-Year-Old Homo sapiens in Central Europe"
Recent excavations at Ranis, Germany, have revealed the presence of early Homo sapiens in Europe around 45,000 years ago. The faunal assemblages indicate a cold climatic environment with a predominance of large terrestrial mammals in the human diet. The study integrates zooarchaeology, palaeoproteomics, sediment DNA, and stable isotopes to reconstruct the ecology, subsistence, and diet of these early humans, suggesting their expedient visits in small, mobile groups. The findings shed light on the behavioral adaptations and survival strategies of early Homo sapiens populations during their expansion into Northern European Plains.