Ari Daniel

Researchers unearthed a nearly 60,000-year-old Neanderthal tooth, a molar, in a Siberian cave.

It had a deep hole on the biting surface.

When the team looked more closely, they noticed microscopic radial grooves that they think may have been artificially created by drilling into the tooth to deal with a cavity, perhaps.

Rachel Kalischer is a bioarchaeologist at UC San Diego who wasn't involved in the research.

She's open to the idea that Neanderthals were capable of treating cavities.

Kalischer agrees the hole was likely produced by a stone tool, but she can't be sure it was done intentionally.

For NPR News, I'm Ari Daniel.

Researchers unearthed a nearly 60,000-year-old Neanderthal tooth, a molar in a Siberian cave.

It had a deep hole on the biting surface.

When the team looked more closely, they noticed microscopic radial grooves that they think may have been artificially created by drilling into the tooth to deal with a cavity, perhaps.

Rachel Kalischer is a bioarchaeologist at UC San Diego who wasn't involved in the research.

She's open to the idea that Neanderthals were capable of treating cavities.

Kalischer agrees the hole was likely produced by a stone tool, but she can't be sure it was done intentionally.

For NPR News, I'm Ari Daniel.

Researchers unearthed a nearly 60,000-year-old Neanderthal tooth, a molar, in a Siberian cave.

It had a deep hole on the biting surface.

When the team looked more closely, they noticed microscopic radial grooves that they think may have been artificially created by drilling into the tooth to deal with a cavity, perhaps.

Rachel Kalischer is a bioarchaeologist at UC San Diego who wasn't involved in the research.

She's open to the idea that Neanderthals were capable of treating cavities.

Kalischer agrees the hole was likely produced by a stone tool, but she can't be sure it was done intentionally.