A squirmy diet may explain the high nitrogen levels in neanderthal remains

By Manuela López Restrepo,

Patrick Jarenwattananon, Hosts

Published August 4, 2025 at 4:11 PM EDT

New research suggests that maggots may be the secret ingredient responsible for extremely high nitrogen values found in Neanderthal remains.

Manuela López Restrepo

Manuela López Restrepo is a producer and writer at All Things Considered. She's been at NPR since graduating from The University of Maryland, and has worked at shows like Morning Edition and It's Been A Minute. She lives in Brooklyn with her cat Martin.

Patrick Jarenwattananon

See stories by Patrick Jarenwattananon

Hosts

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