Researcher Finds Evidence Cavemen Cleaned Teeth With Sticks

The Washington Post reports that researcher Karen Hardy broke down “calcified plaque from some of the oldest human remains in Europe,” finding “pieces of indigestible wood fibers.” The article adds that “Hardy believes they’re from small sticks early humans would jam in their teeth to clean them.” By examining the calcified plaque from a “fossil from the Sima del Elefante archaeological site in Atapuerca,” Hardy was also able “to discern that they ate grass, seeds, other plants and meat – all raw, indicating they didn’t yet use fire to cook.”