Tiny traces of DNA found in cave dust may unlock secret life of Neanderthals

Advanced technique used to recover genetic material may help solve the mystery of early man

Scientists have pinpointed major changes in Europe's Neanderthal populations - from traces of blood and excrement they left behind in a Spanish cave 100,000 years ago.

The discovery is the first important demonstration of a powerful new technique that allows researchers to study DNA recovered from cave sediments. No fossils or stone tools are needed for such studies. Instead, minuscule traces of genetic material that have accumulated in the dust of a cavern floor are employed to reveal ancient secrets.