Elephant Teeth Reveal Pleistocene Migrations

Isotope (strontium, carbon) and paleoproteome analysis of straight‑tusked elephant molars from the 125,000‑year‑old Neumark Nord site show individuals came from different home ranges and one likely traveled ~186 miles before being killed and butchered by hominins. The finding demonstrates that Pleistocene European megafauna engaged in long‑range movements comparable to modern elephants and that these migrations concentrated mobile prey at archaeological sites. — This changes interpretations of Pleistocene human ecology, showing hominin hunting and material use occurred in a landscape shaped by long‑range animal migration and highlights isotope/proteome methods as powerful tools for reconstructing ancient mobility.