Humans Ancient horse hunts challenge ideas of ‘modern’ human behavior Sophisticated social and mental capacities date back at least 300,000 years Communal hunting of horses in Europe 300,000 years ago required sophisticated planning and coordination. David Palumbo By Bruce Bower 50 seconds ago On a bright, late-summer day in north-central Europe around 300,000 years ago, a team of perhaps a couple dozen hunters got into their assigned positions for a big kill. Little did they know that remnants of this lethal event would someday contribute to a scientific rethink about the social and intellectual complexity of Stone Age life. Some of the hunters ascended a ridge where they gazed across a vast, marshy grassland below. Trees dotted the landscape and bordered a braided stream leading to a nearby lake. Sign up for our newsletter We summarize the week's scientific breakthroughs every Thursday.