New evidence from fossilised dental plaque, coastal excavation sites and ancient feces is upending long-held assumptions about Neanderthal diets. Instead, genetic sequencing of calcified dental plaque uncovered remnants of mushrooms, pine nuts, moss, and tree bark. Medicinal Knowledge Hidden in PlaqueIn what may be the most surprising discovery, some Neanderthals also appear to have dabbled in medicinal plant use. These findings, also from the El Sidrón site, imply a rudimentary form of pharmacological knowledge, possibly passed through generations. The archaeological consensus is clear: Neanderthals were not just scavengers or hunters, but adaptive foragers with regional cuisines, medicinal knowledge and complex food behaviours.