Boy discovers 60,000-year-old Neanderthal axe at Shoreham Beach in England

A 9-year-old boy named Ben Witten discovered a 60,000-year-old hand axe while exploring Shoreham Beach in Sussex, England. Initially, he thought it was just a shiny rock and kept it for years before realizing its significance during a visit to the Worthing Museum. The museum confirmed the axe is from the late Middle Paleolithic period and was likely made by a Neanderthal. This find is notable as Neanderthal hand axes are rare in Sussex, and it is the oldest item reported to the museum in over a decade. Ben has loaned the axe to the museum for display until February 2025. The museum plans to record the find with the British Museum's Portable Antiquities Scheme to preserve its historical context.