Science News Roundup: Ancient string provides further evidence of Neanderthals talents and more

Following is a summary of current science news briefs.

Ancient string provides further evidence of Neanderthals talents

Neanderthals used plant fibers to create string more than 40,000 years ago at a site in France where they hunted reindeer, further evidence according to scientists of the ingenuity and cognitive capabilities of our closest extinct human relatives. Researchers on Thursday described a string fragment - comprised of three small bundles of fibers twisted together into a cord - associated with a stone cutting tool that may have been used to skin animal carcasses.