Friday 16 October 2026 · Edition of the day

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The Skeptic's Daily

The day's biggest stories, taken apart. For each one: what is actually established, what is only asserted, the questions worth asking — and a plausibility score for the central claim, given everything currently known.

Stories
1
Average plausibility
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It rates how well the core claim is evidenced — not how important the story is, nor whether it is good or bad news.
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01ScienceMiddle East

Neanderthal wound may indicate a lethal spear strike

Reports describe ancient remains from Iraqi Kurdistan, but the interpretation remains tentative.

The Guardian reports that an adult Neanderthal excavated in an Iraqi Kurdistan cave has a round hole in the shoulder blade that may be evidence of a fatal wooden-spear strike. It dates the death to more than 70,000 years ago, while the BBC describes a 75,000-year-old spear wound and discusses its possible implications for ancient violence.

What holds up

  • ✓Both outlets report an ancient Neanderthal wound interpreted as possible evidence of lethal spear violence.
  • ✓Their age descriptions are compatible: 75,000 years falls within the Guardian's broader description of more than 70,000 years.

What doesn't yet

  • ?Neither summary supplies the analytical methods or evidence excluding alternative causes of the wound.
  • ?Claims about the earliest such evidence or the wider prevalence of violence remain tentative; two reports do not constitute separate scientific replication.

Ask before you share

  • →How did researchers distinguish a spear wound from other damage?
  • →What evidence connects the injury to death, and supports broader conclusions about violence?

Sources & original reporting

  1. [1]BBC News · Published 15 Oct 2026 · bbc.co.uk
  2. [2]The Guardian · Published 15 Oct 2026 · theguardian.com