Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Neanderthal extinction not caused by brutal wipe out
Neanderthals are an extinct species of archaic humans who were thought to have lived mainly in Europe from as long as 400,000 years ago. They were as tall as pre-industrial modern humans but were more toughly built to cope with the cold climate. They produced stone-tool, create fire, and crafted clothes. Also, they treated injuries, stored food, and enjoyed cooking. They were thought to become extinct soon after the ancestors of modern humans, Homo sapiens arrived from Africa around 40,000 years ago. But recently, researchers found evidence of Homo sapiens in the area where Neanderthals lived 54,000 years ago. This indicates there was a time when Neanderthals and Homo sapiens coexisted in the same area for as long as 14,000 years. If those two different species lived or interacted in the same area, there might have interbred. Indeed, modern humans have a small amount of Neanderthal DNA. If you are interested, Jean Auel’s Earth’s Children might show you what their interaction during the co-existing period was like.
Enjoy reading the article and learning more about the days of early humans.
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