Prehistoric hunters used toxic beetle larvae to create the first poisoned arrows

Inhabitants of South Africa's Sibudu Cave pioneered a lethal advancement in ballistics 72,000 years ago by combining mechanical engineering with biochemistry. They crafted compound arrowheads using plant gums mixed with red ochre, which acted as a chemical binder and preservative. These 20mm segments were designed to detach inside the prey, delivering a slow-acting poison harvested from Diamphidia beetle larvae that could remain potent for weeks.