Never mind Band-Aids, Neanderthals had antiseptic birch tar

Here's something that might blow your mind — Neanderthals weren’t just primitive toolmakers; they may have used birch tar as an antiseptic, too. And get this — modern Indigenous cultures, like the Mi'kmaq of eastern Canada, still use birch bark tar to treat wounds and insect bites. According to Kiona N. Smith writing in Technology, archaeological sites show Neanderthals knew how to extract this sticky substance, not just for gluing tools but possibly for medicinal purposes. Recent experiments tested the antibacterial properties of distilled birch tar against bacteria like S. aureus and E. coli — and the results suggest that Neanderthals could have used it to fight infections from their frequent injuries. Now, here’s where it gets fascinating — birch tar isn’t just one thing; it varies in consistency and name across cultures. The Mi'kmaq call it maskwio’mi, and they use a more fluid form for wound care. So, what does this actually mean? Neanderthals might have had their own version of antiseptic medicine, centuries ahead of modern antibiotics.