What Ancient Humans Did When They Got Sick (Not What You Think)

The last time you got sick, you probably took a pill and went back to bed. But that urge to lie down, push your food away and hide under a blanket is older than medicine, older than language and older than your species. So what did ancient humans actually do when they got sick? In this video, you'll meet a chimpanzee who treated her own illness, a Neanderthal who may have chewed natural painkillers and antibiotic mold, and Otzi the Iceman, who carried what looks like a prehistoric first aid kit. You'll see how a severely injured Neanderthal survived for years because his group cared for him, and how a child in Borneo lived through an amputation 31,000 years ago. Then you'll discover why fever, tiredness and loss of appetite may be ancient survival strategies, and why the Stone Age may not have been the sickest time to be human. CHAPTERS 0:00 The last time you got sick 0:18 40,000 years ago: no doctors, no germs 0:46 The chimp who treated herself 1:54 Neanderthal medicine at El Sidron 2:47 Otzi the Iceman's first aid kit 3:59 The Neanderthal who was cared for 5:09 Why ancient humans looked after the sick 5:35 A 31,000-year-old amputation 6:32 The medicine already inside you 7:52 The twist: was the Stone Age the sickest era? 8:49 What this means for you today Research mentioned: Michael Huffman (chimpanzee self-medication), Laura Weyrich et al. 2017 (Neanderthal dental plaque), Albert Zink (Otzi), Ralph Solecki and Emma Pomeroy (Shanidar 1), David Lordkipanidze (Dmanisi), Kim Hill and Magdalena Hurtado (Ache food sharing), Tim Maloney et al. 2022 (Liang Tebo), Benjamin Hart 1988 (sickness behavior), Matthew Kluger 1975 (fever in iguanas), J. Lawrence Angel (skeletons and farming), Alexander Fleming 1928. Educational content only. This is not medical advice. If this changed how you see your next sick day, like the video, leave a comment with the discovery that surprised you most, and subscribe to Ancient Questions for more answers from the past. #AncientHumans #HumanEvolution #Anthropology #AncientMedicine #PrehistoricMedicine #Neanderthal #Otzi #StoneAge #HistoryOfMedicine #SicknessBehavior #FeverExplained #AncientHistory #Psychology #DoodleAnimation #AncientQuestions