March
17
/ 2026
During the last interglacial period, around 125,000 years ago, Europe was home to an astonishing array of megafauna, including the massive straight-tusked elephant (Palaeoloxodon antiquus). These enormous creatures, significantly larger than modern elephants, were the largest land mammals of prehistoric Europe. A new international study analyzing the fossilized teeth of these giants has revealed not only their extensive migration patterns but also provided compelling further evidence of organized hunting by Neanderthals. The research, led by a team of scientists from institutions including the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia (UNIMORE) and Goethe University Frankfurt, focused on the Neumark-Nord site in northeastern Germany. This area, once a rich lake landscape, has yielded the remains of over 70 straight-tusked elephants. By examining
