A Fingerprint From the Past

In Spain, a rock with a fingerprint and a red dot has sparked excitement among scientists. This rock, found in a shelter, is believed to be around 43, 000 years old. The red dot is thought to be a nose, making the rock look like a human face. This discovery raises questions about the artistic abilities of Neanderthals. The rock was found in a shelter in Segovia. It was buried under a lot of sediment. Scientists were surprised to find a large stone with a red dot in the middle. They thought it looked like a human face. They had to confirm that the dot was made with pigment. Once they did, they called in experts to study it further. The experts used special tools to analyze the rock. They found a fingerprint on it. They believe it belongs to a male adult. However, they can't be sure because there are no other Neanderthal fingerprints to compare it to. This makes it hard to say for certain who made the mark. The rock is important because it is the oldest painted object found in Europe. It is also the only known piece of portable art made by Neanderthals. This discovery adds to the ongoing debate about Neanderthals' artistic abilities. Some scientists believe Neanderthals could think abstractly and create art. Others are not so sure. This rock might help answer some of those questions. The discovery of this rock is a big deal. It shows that Neanderthals might have been more creative than we thought. It also shows how much we still have to learn about our ancient relatives. The rock was found during an excavation that started five years ago. The scientists who found it are still studying it. They hope to learn more about the Neanderthals who made it.