Aug 09 2009
CSI: Duke University
It seems we now have a murder case to solve that stretches back 50,000 years plus. The statute of limitations is probably up, but inquiring minds want to know, “Who killed that Neanderthal?”
Here are the facts. A research team from Duke University have determined that the wound that killed a Neanderthal man came from a spear. Judging by the angle of the cut mark left in his “left ninth rib,” and other factors, the vic didn’t fall on his own weapon. Was it an innocent hunting accident? Or murder! [Cue dramatic music.]
A likely murder. So says not Gil Grissom, but Steven Churchill, a smarty-pants (in a good way) professor of evolutionary psychology at Duke. I wonder what actor we can get to play him for the television series I have in mind.
The extremely ancient incident occurred in what is now Iraq. While there was no way to dust for fingerprints, Churchill and four “investigators” -
used a specially calibrated crossbow, copies of ancient stone points and numerous animal carcasses to make their deductions.
But wait, here’s the totally cool, exciting twist: This was not a case of Neanderthal on Neanderthal violence, but Human on Neanderthal! It seems that only stone points made by our ancestors could have killed that dude.
[Red-line background score now.]
Great Grandpa (to the xth degree) did it!
Cool! Who said science is boring!
(Not me.)
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