Summary:

- The article discusses new evidence that Neanderthals consumed carbohydrate-rich foods, such as tubers and underground storage organs, long before the advent of agriculture.
- Researchers analyzed the dental calculus (hardened plaque) of Neanderthal fossils and found starch granules and other plant microremains, indicating that Neanderthals had a more diverse diet than previously thought.
- This discovery challenges the long-held view that Neanderthals were primarily meat-eaters and suggests that they had a sophisticated understanding of their environment and the ability to exploit a wide range of plant resources.