![Altamura skeleton, displaying the same type of popcorn coralloid concretions. The two specimens are located in two separate parts of the cave. Not in scale. Photos by CB.](https://images.newscientist.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/08210254/SEI_216290357.jpg)
The Altamura Man skeleton in Lamalunga cave
Costantino Buzi
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Have you heard of Altamura Man? Since it was new to me, I’m going to guess that you may be unfamiliar with it. Which is peculiar, because it’s an astonishing specimen.
To find Altamura Man you would need to travel to Puglia (also known as Apulia) in southern Italy: if you think of Italy as looking like a boot, Puglia is…