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Did Neanderthals and modern humans have kids together 219 kya?

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Neanderthal/Photaro

From Aylin Woodward at New Scientist:

It’s a sex-laced mystery. If modern humans didn’t reach Europe until about 60,000 years ago, how has DNA from them turned up in a Neanderthal fossil in Germany from 124,000 years ago?

The answer seems to be that there was a previous migration of early humans – more than 219,000 years ago. One that we’re only just starting to reveal from piecemeal evidence that is DNA extracted from fossilised bones.More.

Note especially, “The results also suggest that Neanderthals had a much greater genetic diversity and larger population than we realised.”

Indeed. A lot of speculation/discussion of Neanderthals pegs them in ways that are better described as “what we believe” than “what we know.” As with anything else in life, one can begin to mistake personal certainty for factual certainty. See, for example, “Neanderthal artwork found: “Academic bombshell” obliterates “lesser human” theory?

So, why was it a bombshell anyway? As opposed to merely a surprise? Something besides evidence or lack thereof underlies that episode.

Now, if we had turned up Neanderthal handhelds… 😉 ka-boom!!

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?

Comments
As was mentioned in the Neanderthal stories a couple weeks ago, 200,000 years ago the Mediterranean was MUCH smaller. And so it would seem VERY likely that the bottom of the Med is covered with homo sapiens campsites. The findings in the Mid East and the Balkans are simply later migrations that, by accident, happen to be above sea level now. So if the Darwinists get to claim that the fossils of ALL of the missing intermediate species are "still buried", then I think it's only fair that we get to claim the missing fossils to document man's trek north are all sunken in the Med.vmahuna
July 5, 2017
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