The Neanderthals were a type of extinct human cousin who formerly roamed Europe and Central and Southwest Asia.
They are classified as either a separate species or a subspecies of Homo sapiens known as Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, which has a more robust morphology and a shorter stature, implying better strength and physical resilience.
While they had a somewhat larger brain volume than modern humans, their mix of social and cognitive talents has been contested over time, with disputed instances of art, clothing, and even burial traditions cited as proof of culture.
How did Neanderthals appear?
Early representations of Neanderthals were based on a single skeleton discovered near La Chapelle-aux-Saints, France, in the early 1900s, which presented a stereotypical picture of a slouching, brutish human.
Subsequent study of this and other specimens has long since disproved the theory that these ancestors had a posture that was markedly different from ours.
Studies of their genomes suggest that, like contemporary humans, Neanderthals may have possessed a wide range of colouring, including red hair and a pale complexion.
Our common ancestors diverged at least 800,000 years ago, according to an old tooth study, and genetic analysis comparing their DNA to ours reveals there was some gene mixing over the millennia.
It’s difficult to say exactly what legacy the Neanderthals left in our own adaptations, as studies disagree on the extent to which their DNA influenced us. It’s possible that our immune systems may improve and that our skull shape will change slightly.
Neanderthal populations are considered to have died out around 40,000 years ago, a few thousand years after a wave of modern humans travelled farther into Europe. Many theories have been proposed to explain their extinction, including increased competition, inbreeding, new diseases, and climate change.
