Gunk from Neanderthals' teeth tells us they used medicine

How much can you learn from Neanderthal plaque? A lot, scientists have discovered: DNA from the plaque provides an amazingly detailed view into the life of our extinct human relatives, including what they ate, how they took medicinal plants to combat disease, and what their mouth bacteria was like. The discovery gives scientists a window into the precious microbial world inside our closest relatives; this information could be used to better understand how bacteria that live inside our own bodies