‘I feel like a man from another era’: Neanderthal hunter Ludovic Slimak

Explorer Ludovic Slimak has dedicated decades to unearthing the mystery of our prehistoric ancestors. Now he has found a missing piece that radically reshapes our understanding – not just of the Neanderthals but of humanity itselfThere ’s no confusing Ludovic Slimak for just another hotel guest. It’s a sweltering Sunday afternoon in late August and we’ve arranged to meet in the car park of a guesthouse on the outskirts of Montélimar, southeastern France. The lawn sprinklers are in full swing; a couple of kids play in the fe nced-off poolside area. Hiding from the heat in my rental car, I’d been concerned we’d struggle to find each other: Slimak’s email and WhatsApp communication until now have been at best irregular; the phone signal is patchy in this rural French corner. As soon as he pulls up in a dust-covered Volkswagen minivan, however, I realise there’d been no need to worry. Amid the trickle of blissed-out holidaymakers, Slimak seriously sticks out: he has wild, long hair and an overgrown, grey-flecked beard; there’s dirt deep beneath his fingernails. It’s 43C, according to the screen on my dash board. In shorts and a T-shirt, I’m sweating. Meanwhile, the man now waving in my direction is dressed in a herringbone waistcoat, stained linen trousers, denim shirt and Indiana Jones panama hat. There’s no need for introductions to confirm he’s the man I’m here to visit. Ludovic Slimak loo ks a picture-perfect archeological adventurer; a self-descr...
Source: Guardian Unlimited Science - Category: Science Authors: Tags: Neanderthals Anthropology Science Evolution Biology Source Type: news