Oldest known arrow poison found in South Africa
Researchers from South Africa and Sweden have identified the world's oldest known arrow poison on 60,000-year-old quartz arrowheads discovered at Umhlatuzana Rock Shelter in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, reveals traces of the plant gifbol (Boophone disticha), indicating that early humans had advanced knowledge of toxic substances for hunting. This finding marks the first direct evidence of poisoned arrows, suggesting that these ancient hunters possessed sophisticated planning and understanding of natural chemistry.