neandervölgyi

Neandertals, scientifically known as Homo neanderthalensis, were an extinct species of archaic humans who lived in Eurasia from approximately 400,000 to 40,000 years ago. They are closely related to modern humans, with genetic studies indicating that non-African populations of Homo sapiens carry a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA.

Neandertals are often depicted as brutish and unintelligent, but this image is increasingly being challenged by scientific evidence. Archaeological findings suggest they were sophisticated toolmakers, capable of creating complex stone implements. They also likely possessed a form of language, cared for their sick and elderly, and buried their dead, which points to a degree of social complexity and symbolic thought.

Their physical characteristics were distinct from modern humans. Neandertals had a robust build, with a large braincase, a prominent brow ridge, a large nose, and a receding chin. These adaptations are thought to have helped them survive in colder climates. They were skilled hunters and gatherers, adapting to a wide range of environments across Europe and parts of Western Asia.

The reasons for their extinction are still debated. Theories include competition with Homo sapiens for resources, disease, climate change, and potentially interbreeding with incoming modern humans, though the latter did not lead to their complete disappearance as a distinct lineage. The study of Neandertals continues to shed light on our own evolutionary history and the diversity of human existence.