Browsing: Neanderthals

Neanderthals, scientifically known as Homo neanderthalensis, were a group of archaic humans who lived across Europe and parts of Western Asia from approximately 400,000 to 40,000 years ago, primarily during the Middle Paleolithic period. They are known for their robust build and distinctive morphological features, which include a large middle part of the face, angled cheek bones, and a huge nose for humidifying and warming cold, dry air. Their skeletal remains suggest they were adapted to a cold climate. Neanderthals were skilled hunters of large animals and also used a variety of stone tools; they were capable of controlling fire, lived in shelters, and occasionally made symbolic or ornamental objects. There is evidence to suggest that they had a complex social structure and cared for the injured and elderly. Genetic studies have revealed that Neanderthals interbred with ancestors of modern humans, with a small percentage of Neanderthal DNA present in non-African populations today, indicating a complex relationship and an overlap of several thousand years between Neanderthals and modern humans before Neanderthals became extinct.