Scientists find oldest poison residues on 60,000-year-old arrows

The poison hints at how far back in history humans have been using it for survival

- BECKY FERREIRA

TODAY IT SEEMS obvious: Dip a sharp object in a poisonous substance, and then use that weapon to take down your prey.

But when did human beings figure out this deadly strategy? It remains as mysterious as the dawn of setting fires, building wheels and painting on caves. But a new study pushes back the timeline of this innovative hunting technique by tens of thousands of years.

Researchers led by Sven Isaksson, a professor of archaeological science at Stockholm University, have discovered poison residues on 60,000-year-old arrow tips unearthed in South Africa.