February 10, 2013

The Question of Neanderthal/Modern Coexistence Contnues

Lately we have been told that the tip of the Iberian peninsula was the last European home of Neanderthal people, even as modern humans were spreading everywhere else.

Anthropologists have speculated how the two groups might have interacted.

A new group of researchers, however, argue for an earlier end to Neanderthal occupation:
The scientists, by applying this new method, assure that the Neanderthal occupation of the sites did not last until as late as previously thought; instead it should be placed approximately 45,000 years ago.
Read more here at Heritage Daily.  How this affects the issue of Neanderthal DNA in our bodies is another question, apparently.

2 comments:

Darrell said...

Perhaps I've mentioned this before--I saw what looked for all the world like a Neanderthal riding a bicycle on the east side of town some years ago. He had bright red hair.

Chas S. Clifton said...

Darrell, I think you did, but it's still a great image.