A new study suggests they co-existed in Europe much longer than previously thought?
The results provide the clearest insight yet into the interaction between our ancestors and Neanderthals, when they first encountered each other and why the Neanderthals went extinct, according to the lead researcher, Prof Thomas Higham of the University of Oxford.
“I think we can set aside the idea of a rapid extinction of Neanderthals caused solely by the arrival of modern humans. Instead we can see a more complex process in which there is a much longer overlap between the two populations where there could have been exchanges of ideas and culture.”
Exchanges of ideas and culture? Maybe more than that … .
See also Nature on the subject: Neanderthals: Bone technique redrafts prehistory:
Neanderthals and humans lived together in Europe for thousands of years, concludes a timeline based on radiocarbon dates from 40 key sites across Europe. The results1, published today in Nature, may help to end a century-old deadlock over the demise of the Neanderthals and their relationship to humans.
(No, because murder mysteries never go out of style.)
See also: Neanderthal Man: The long-lost relative turns up again, this time with documents
and
A deep and abiding need for Neanderthals to be stupid. Why?
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