Ancient Neanderthals drilled teeth to treat cavities 59,000 years ago
A 59,000-year-old Neanderthal molar from Siberia shows a deep hole drilled into the tooth to treat severe decay, likely an early root-canal-like procedure done with a narrow jasper tool; experiments suggest 35–50 minutes of work, and the patient survived for a time, signaling advanced medical capability and cognitive sophistication in Neanderthals outside Homo sapiens.