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Neanderthal remains may be earliest human ancestor find killed by a…

Archaeologists spotted the distinctive injury after excavating the adult and other Neanderthals from an Iraqi Kurdistan cave, and the hole could be the oldest spear-kill evidence yet.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on BBN Overnight
Published 1:10 AM ET, Friday, October 16, 2026

Photo: Shanidar Cave — Photo: Osama Shukir Muhammed Amin FRCP(Glasg) · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

At a glance

First reported by The Guardian: “Neanderthal remains may be earliest human ancestor find killed by a spear”, with reporting from ScienceAlert.
Covered on BBN on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 1:10 AM ET on BBN Overnight, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield; aired 2 times.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

The GuardianNeanderthal remains may be earliest human ancestor find killed by a spear
ScienceAlertOldest Known Spear Attack May Be Found in 75,000-Year-Old Neanderthal Remains

What BBN said about it

Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentA smooth round hole in a Neanderthal shoulder blade from an Iraqi Kurdistan cave may be the oldest evidence of a human ancestor killed by a wooden spear, more than seventy thousand years ago.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentSo the wound is the clue, and the spear itself is long gone.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentWood rots, bone keeps the receipt. Brock, what's the sky doing tonight?