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Coverage dated May 12, 2026

First evidence of Neandertal dentistry found in ancient molar

Headline from Science News

A 59,000-year-old Neandertal molar unearthed in Siberia was drilled with a stone tool – the earliest evidence of primitive dentistry.

Science News's own description from its feed. We collect headlines and these descriptions, not full articles; read the original reporting below.

Read the reports

Reports & sources

9 articles, oldest first.

  1. NPR

    Neanderthals may have drilled out a cavity 59,000 years ago (opens NPR)

    Published

    NPR's feed description

    Scientists dug up a Paleolithic tooth that shows signs that these hominins may have been capable of executing a precise dental procedure.

  2. Science News

    First evidence of Neandertal dentistry found in ancient molar (opens Science News)

    Published

    Science News's feed description

    A 59,000-year-old Neandertal molar unearthed in Siberia was drilled with a stone tool – the earliest evidence of primitive dentistry.

  3. Scientific American

    59,000-year-old Neanderthal tooth may be oldest evidence of dentistry (opens Scientific American)

    Published

    Scientific American's feed description

    Archaeologists analyzed a Neanderthal molar that seems like it was intentionally drilled, but some experts are skeptical

  4. CNN

    59,000-year-old Neanderthal tooth shows earliest evidence of dentistry (opens CNN)

    Published

    CNN's feed description

    Neanderthals used sophisticated techniques with a stone drill to treat a painful dental cavity, according to new research.

  5. Live Science

    'Exceptional' drilled tooth reveals Neanderthals practiced dentistry in Siberia 60,000 years ago (opens Live Science)

    Published

    Live Science's feed description

    A hole found in a 60,000-year-old Neanderthal tooth was likely made by a stone drill, making the discovery the oldest evidence of intentional dentistry to date.

  6. The Guardian

    Neanderthals used stone drills to treat cavities 59,000 years ago, tooth suggests (opens The Guardian)

    Published

    The Guardian's feed description

    Molar found in Siberia features deep hole that appears to show earliest known evidence of dental treatment

  7. Gizmodo

    Neanderthal Dentistry Was a Total Horror Show, Research Shows (opens Gizmodo)

    Published

    Gizmodo's feed description

    A 59,000-year-old Neanderthal molar contains evidence of a cavity removal procedure, offering fresh insight into these early humans' intelligence.

  8. Science Alert

    The Earliest Known Dentistry Wasn't Done By Our Species (opens Science Alert)

    Published

    Science Alert's feed description

    A 60,000-year-old Neanderthal tooth left behind in a cave in modern-day Russia contains a deep hole that cannot be explained by decay alone.

Identical headlines usually mean shared wire copy. They are counted as separate articles but are not independent confirmation.