Dear MEL Topic Readers,
Neanderthal 1: The incredible discovery that rewrote history
Neanderthals are an extinct species of human ancestor who inhabited Europe
and Western and Central Asia until about 40,000 years ago. They are known for
their stocky build, prominent brow ridge, and large brains. In 1856, the first
set of their fossil remains, Neanderthal 1, was discovered in the Neander
Valley near Düsseldorf, Germany. Initially, it was a subject of scientific
debate, but by 1864, it was named Homo neanderthalensis. Then, previously
discovered fossils in Belgium in 1829 and Gibraltar in 1848 were re-examined
and identified as Neanderthals. They went extinct due to a combination of
factors, including climate change, competition with Homo sapiens for
resources, and genetic issues from small, isolated populations. Also, Neanderthals
are thought to have interbred with modern humans in Eurasia. In fact, modern
people with non-African ancestry have around one to a few percent of Neandertal
DNA. Though the Neanderthal 1 discovery site was destroyed by limestone mining,
the area has been developed into an archaeological park and discovery site as
part of the Neanderthal Museum.
Watch the video and learn about the extinct group of archaic humans.
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