Latest news with #Homosapiens
National Geographic
2 hours ago
- Science
- National Geographic
Who were the Neanderthals—and why did they go extinct?
Neanderthals were a hardy species, but these ancient human relatives disappeared 40,000 years ago. Here's what scientists know. This reconstruction of a female Neanderthal was made using ancient DNA evidence. Our ancient ancestors looked similar to modern humans but with more prominent brows and big teeth and eyes. Scientists believe they were also smarter than originally believed. Photograph by JOE MCNALLY, Nat Geo Image Collection Neanderthals were our closest known relatives and walked the Earth between at least 400,000 and 40,000 years ago. But since their fossilized bones were discovered more than 160 years ago, there are still many questions about what they were like. The bones were uncovered by limestone quarry workers digging in Germany's Neander Valley in 1856. At first, they thought they'd uncovered the remains of a bear. In fact, they'd stumbled upon something that would change history: evidence of an extinct species of ancient human predecessors. Researchers soon realized they had already encountered these human relatives in earlier fossils that had been misidentified throughout the early 19th century. The discovery galvanized scientists eager to explore new theories of human evolution, sparking a worldwide Neanderthal fossil hunt and tantalizing the public with the possibility of a mysterious sister species that once dominated Europe. Who exactly were these ancient humans, how did they live, and why did they die out? Here's what to know about them. The skull of a female Neanderthal rests alongside other Neanderthal remains discovered in Gorham's Cave. Located on the eastern side of the Rock of Gibraltor, this archaeological site has yielded important insights into Neanderthal life. Photograph by KENNETH GARRETT, Nat Geo Image Collection Homo neanderthalensis, were named by geologist William King, who based the name on his findings near La Chapelle Aux Saints, in France. At first glance, fossilized bones suggested that Neanderthals were human-like. But a closer look reveals the characteristics that differentiate our ancient ancestors from modern Homo sapiens. They looked similar to humans but had a more prominent brow ridge, protruding faces, and rib cages that were shorter, deeper, and wider. In addition, their eye sockets were much larger, which may have enabled them to see better than modern humans. Researchers believe that their brains were roughly the same size as ours, although they were more elongated. Though debates on the size and structures still rage today, researchers agree that the average male was about 5 foot 4 inches tall, while females stood at about 5 feet. (You may have more Neanderthal DNA than you think.) These hominids once lived throughout Eurasia. Researchers believe that due to the species' adaptation to the region's cold climates, they had compact, massive musculature and would have required up to 4,480 calories a day to survive. Megafauna like mammoths, elephants, and woolly rhinoceros made hunting an important facet of their life. Living and traveling in small groups, they used tools like spears to satiate their meat-heavy diet. They also ate plants, which MIT geobiologist Ainara Sistiaga has said is evidence that Neanderthals 'probably ate what was available in different situations, seasons, and climates.' Sometimes, this included eating their own. In 2016, scientists studying remains of Neanderthal skeletons from a cave in what is now Belgium found 'unambiguous evidence of Neanderthal cannibalism in Northern Europe.' How intelligent were Neanderthals and what did their lives look like? Researchers initially assumed Neanderthals were brutish, hairy thugs capable only of crude thought and bloody hunting. But some scientists have changed their tune as evidence has accumulated of some surprisingly human-like characteristics among these human ancestors. Neanderthals used tools in domestic and hunting contexts, flaking rocks to create weapons, scrapers, and axes. Woodworking was also common. They cut and whittled sticks they used to dig or form spears. Neanderthals used materials such as flint to make tools that they used as weapons, axes, and more. This specimen is from the Pinilla del Valle site, in the Lozoya Valley, near Madrid, Spain. Several Neanderthal fossils have been found here since excavations begin in the early 2000s. Photograph by MARCO ANSALONI, SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY (Top) (Left) and Photograph by ROBBIE SHONE, Nat Geo Image Collection (Bottom) (Right) Despite their assumed ability to withstand the cold, they are also thought to have processed animal hides and crafted clothing that could cover up to 80 percent of their bodies. Like humans, they are thought to have covered their feet and other sensitive body parts. But since the clothing has long since disintegrated, researchers can only infer how they may have dressed. (Take a fascinating look inside the world of Neanderthals) Another breakthrough was the discovery that Neanderthals may have been capable of symbolic thought. A few archaeological Neanderthal sites have yielded decorated eagle talons and objects thought to have been used in burial rituals—evidence, some say, of advanced thought and tradition. Then, in 2018, researchers announced they'd discovered evidence of cave paintings from 65,000 years ago—the oldest artworks of their kind. But the abstract nature of this art continues to fuel debates among scientists about how complex their mental capacities truly were. Why Neanderthals went extinct 40,000 years ago Whatever their cognitive abilities, Neanderthals were ultimately doomed. However, their extinction is just as contentious as other facets of their lives. Scientists still debate what caused them to disappear around 40,000 years ago at the end of the ice age. Researchers know that in at least some cases, Neanderthals coexisted and even mated with Homo sapiens, which emerged in Africa about 300,000 years ago. But Homo sapiens eventually won out genetically, and the vast majority of modern humans' genes come from our African ancestors. Some surmise that competition from early modern humans for food and shelter, or evolution that selected for more successful human traits, contributed to the Neanderthals' extinction. Others think that because Neanderthals lived in such small groups, they simply became outnumbered by humans. (Go inside the last days of Neanderthals) Another hypothesis involves climate change: Scientists have documented a thousand-year-long cold snap in central Europe that coincided with the Neanderthals' extinction about 40,000 years ago and that could have depopulated the species. Cooling is thought to have been less severe in areas populated by Homo sapiens. Those who embrace this theory believe that once Neanderthal populations declined, humans moved in and eventually became the dominant species worldwide. Neanderthal cave paintings created some 65,000 years ago inside the Andalusian cave of Ardales. Researchers have found such paintings in three caves in Spain, including this one. Photograph by JORGE GUERRERO, AFP/Getty Images Despite their species' demise, fascinating remnants of Neanderthal genomes can be found in some modern humans. Up to 4 percent of the DNA of human populations outside of Africa, the cradle of Homo sapiens, can be traced back to Neanderthals. That overlap shows that Neanderthals did interbreed with humans. (How do Neanderthal genes affect your health?) 'Ironically, with a current world population of about 8 billion people, this means that there has never been more Neanderthal DNA on Earth,' write prehistory experts Peter C. Kjærgaard, Mark Maslin, and Trine Kellberg Nielsen. Given how long it's been since Neanderthals roamed Eurasia, it's impossible to truly reconstruct how they lived and died. But the mystery of these human ancestors—and tantalizing hints that Neanderthals were much like us—continues to drive research, and controversy, to this day. Editor's note: This article has been updated to clarify how Neanderthal faces and bodies differed from modern humans. A reference to Neanderthal DNA in modern humans has also been revised to specify that the DNA was found in humans living outside of Africa. This story originally published on March 6, 2023. It was updated on July 24, 2025.
Daily Mail
7 hours ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Our ancestors were CANNIBALS: Scientists discover grisly evidence ancient human species ate children 850,000 years ago
Ancient human ancestors ate small children 850,000 years ago, a gruesome discovery suggests. Archaeologists working at the Gran Dolina cave site in Atapuerca, northern Spain, have unearthed a human neck bone belonging to a child who died sometime between the ages of two and four. It features clear butchery marks, providing direct evidence the infant was decapitated and cannibalised, they said. The vertebra was found with other bones and teeth belonging to Homo antecessor - thought to be the last common ancestor of both Homo sapiens and Neanderthals. It was uncovered by a team from the Catalan Institute of Human Paleoecology and Social Evolution (IPHES), who have been excavating the site for over three decades. Nearly a third of all bones found in the cave so far have cut marks that suggest these early humans were cannibals. 'This case is particularly striking, not only because of the child's age, but also due to the precision of the cut marks,' Dr Palmira Saladié, co-director of the Gran Dolina excavation. 'The vertebra presents clear incisions at key anatomical points for disarticulating the head. It is direct evidence that the child was processed like any other prey.' Experts say it is unusual to find evidence of a child being eaten and - if their theory is true - the discovery marks the earliest evidence of the practice to date. Homo antecessor lived between 1.2 million and 800,000 years ago and were stockier and shorter on average than modern humans. Their brain sizes were roughly between 1,000 and 1,150 cm³, which is smaller than the average 1,350 cm³ brains of people today. The species is believed to have been right-handed, making it different from other apes, and may have used a symbolic language, according to archaeologists. The site of the marks on the recently-discovered neck bone suggests the youngster was decapitated, the researchers said. Other adult bones recovered from the site show evidence of de-fleshing marks and intentional fractures, similar to those found on animal bones consumed by humans. 'The preservation of the fossil surfaces is extraordinary,' Dr Saladié told Live Science. 'The cut marks on the bones do not appear in isolation. Human bite marks have been identified on the bones — this is the most reliable evidence that the bodies found at the site were indeed consumed.' The new findings strengthen the idea that these early humans exploited their peers as a food resource, the team said. It could also have been a means of territorial control. The most recent Homo antecessor remains were discovered at 'Level TD6' of the excavation site, at least 4 metres (13 feet) below the surface. 'Every year we uncover new evidence that forces us to rethink how they lived, how they died, and how the dead were treated nearly a million years ago,' Dr Saladié said. Earlier evidence of cannibalism among early human relatives dates to 1.45 million years ago in Kenya. Some archaeologists suggest that before formal burials, human populations would eat the dead as part of a funerary ritual. 'What we are documenting now is the continuity of that behaviour: the treatment of the dead was not exceptional, but repeated,' Dr Saladié added. Previous examinations of skulls found at Cheddar Gorge, in Somerset, reveal early Britons were also cannibals and enjoyed drinking out of cups made form their victims' heads. The cups, which date back 14,700 years, were likely used to drink water or even blood. They may have been fashioned from the heads of vanquished enemies and used as trophies. It is also possible that they were by-products of 'crisis cannibalism' - the resorting to human flesh when little or no other food was available, the study, published in Plos One, said. To make the skull cups, the flesh and features were carefully stripped from the head, and the skulls fashioned into containers using flint 'razors' and cobble 'hammers'. WHO WERE THE HOMO ANTECESSORS? Homo antecessor is one of the earliest known varieties of human discovered in Europe, dating as far back as one million years ago. Believed to have weighed around 14 stone, Homo antecessor was said to have been between 5.5 and 6ft tall. Their brain sizes were roughly between 1,000 and 1,150 cm³, which is smaller than the average 1,350 cm³ brains of modern humans. The species is believed to have been right-handed, making it different from other apes, and may have used a symbolic language, according to archaeologists who found remains in Burgos, Spain in 1994. How Homo antecessor may be related to other Homo species in Europe has a subject of fierce debate. Many anthropologists believe there was an evolutionary link between Homo ergaster and Homo heidelbergensis. Archaeologist Richard Klein claims Homo antecessor was a separate species completely, that evolved from Homo ergaster. However, others claim Homo antecessor is actually the same species as Homo heidelbergensis, who lived in Europe between 600,000 and 250,000 years ago in the Pleistocene era. In 2010 stone tools were found at the same site in Happisburgh, Norfolk, believed to have been used by Homo antecessor. Scientists believe that these early human species would breed with one another on a regular basis. Dr Matthias Meyer, a palaeogeneticist at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology, in Leipzig, Germany said: 'The evolutionary history of archaic humans in the Middle Pleistocene was quite complex. 'It could be that both the ancestors of the Sima people and Denisovans interbred with another archaic group like Homo antecessor or Homo erectus.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Not just Homo Sapiens: There were 20+ human species that walked the Earth with the modern man; Where are they now?
Once, Earth was home to diverse human species, not just Homo sapiens. Fossil evidence reveals at least 21 early human species, including Neanderthals and Denisovans, coexisted and even interbred with our ancestors. While the reasons for their extinction remain a mystery, factors like climate change, competition, and interbreeding likely played roles. Modern humans are often seen as the pinnacle of evolution and the only ones to have grown and developed over centuries. But in evolutionary terms, not long ago, we shared the planet with a number of other human species. These ancient relatives were not just distant ancestors but our contemporaries, walking the Earth at the same time with our ancestors, even in the same places. They lived, adapted, created tools, even interacted and had children with us. The picture of human evolution is not a straight line from primitive to modern but rather a tangled tree with many branches, where some of these branches ended in extinction and others merged. But who are the other types of human species that walked along the ancestors of the Homo Sapiens, and why couldn't they survive till today? A crowded family tree For most of human history, Homo sapiens weren't alone. Fossil evidence shows that at least 21 species of early humans once roamed the Earth. These included well-known relatives like Neanderthals, as well as Homo Naledi and Homo Luzonensis, as suggested by recent fossil discoveries. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like This Could Be the Best Time to Trade Gold in 5 Years IC Markets Learn More Undo Among these, some species lasted millions of years, while others were short-lived experiments in survival. The modern Homo Sapiens didn't just follow other human species; they overlapped with them. Homo sapiens lived alongside Neanderthals and Denisovans, sometimes for thousands of years. In some regions, they shared regional tools and even genes. Interbreeding between Homo sapiens and these relatives left traces in the DNA, especially in populations today outside Africa. These weren't short-lived events; they were complex interactions between intelligent, adaptable beings trying to survive a shifting world. In fact, any of these species wasn't alone; they were part of a larger and connected human world. The mystery of the missing species Despite advances in archaeology and genetics, many early human species remain a mystery. Some are known only from a few bones or teeth, like the Denisovans, for example, whose full skeleton has not been found till date. Instead, their story is put together from fragments and DNA. Scientists continue to debate how many species truly existed, since definitions of "species" can vary. Did they look different enough? Could they have kids together? These uncertainties mean the real number of human species might be far higher than 21. Why could only one species make it to today? The reasons aren't fully clear. It could be that they were more adaptable, better at cooperating, or just luckier. Climate change, competition for resources, and even disease may have wiped out other human species. Some were already disappearing when we arrived. Others may have blended into our gene pool through interbreeding. But there is one certainty that survival wasn't guaranteed; Homo Sapiens' today came at the cost of other lost human lineages.
Yahoo
16-07-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Osteoarchaeologist Uncovers Shocking Link Between Brain Condition and Neanderthals
Modern humans may owe more to Neanderthals than just a few genetic quirks, and in at least one case, that inheritance might come with serious health risks. A new study suggests that Chiari malformation type I, a brain abnormality that affects up to 1 in 100 people, may be tied to DNA inherited from Neanderthals. The condition happens when the lower part of the brain extends into the spinal canal, often causing severe headaches, neck pain, and other complications. Researchers had long suspected that interbreeding between Homo sapiens and ancient hominin species could play a role in the shape mismatch between the brain and skull that leads to this defect. But this new research points a finger squarely at Neanderthals, not other early human relatives like Homo erectus or Homo heidelbergensis. Led by osteoarchaeologist Kimberly Plomp at the University of the Philippines, Science Alert reports the team used 3D modeling and skull shape analysis on more than 100 modern human skulls, comparing those with Chiari malformation to those without. They also examined eight fossil skulls from ancient species, including Neanderthals. Their finding? Only the skulls of Neanderthals showed a similarity to the bone structure of modern people with Chiari malformations, especially in the area where the brain meets the spine. This challenges an earlier theory from 2013 that broadly connected the defect to multiple ancient human species. Instead, researchers now propose what they're calling the Neanderthal Introgression Hypothesis, suggesting the condition may trace specifically back to Neanderthal ancestry. The next step is expanding the study to include more skull samples and testing across different populations. Since African groups have far less Neanderthal DNA than European or Asian groups, future research could reveal patterns in how widespread the condition is based on genetic inheritance. Ultimately, understanding this ancient connection could offer new insight into diagnosing and possibly preventing Chiari malformations. The researchers believe their methods could help unravel the causes of the condition and lead to better treatment Uncovers Shocking Link Between Brain Condition and Neanderthals first appeared on Men's Journal on Jul 16, 2025
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Scientists just found a 140,000-year-old child's skull in Israel, and what they found could change human history
A child's skull, almost 140,000 years old, was found in Israel. Researchers believe it shows interbreeding between modern humans and Neanderthals. The skull has both Homo sapiens and Neanderthal traits. CT scans helped in the analysis. Some scientists disagree and want DNA evidence. The discovery could change views on human evolution. It suggests interbreeding occurred earlier than thought. Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Skull shows both modern and Neanderthal features New reconstruction raises old questions Tired of too many ads? Remove Ads Debate continues among scientists Implications for human evolution A nearly 140,000-year-old child's skull found in Skhul Cave, Israel, may show evidence of interbreeding between modern humans and Neanderthals, researchers said in a new study. The partially reconstructed skull, first discovered almost a century ago, belonged to a child believed to be around 3 to 5 years old and was recently examined using modern scanning research, published in the July-August issue of L'Anthropologie, was led by Anne Dambricourt Malasse at the Institute of Human Paleontology in France. Her team used CT scans to re-analyse the skull, which was previously restored with plaster, limiting scientific study for braincase of the child displays features common to Homo sapiens, but the mandible — or jawbone — appeared more similar to Neanderthal anatomy. It lacked a chin and showed traits typical of Neanderthals, suggesting a possible mixed lineage."This study is maybe the first that has put the Skhul child's remains on a scientific basis," said John Hawks of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who was not involved in the research. "The old reconstruction and associated work, literally set in plaster, did not really enable anyone to compare this child with a broader array of recent children to understand its biology."The skull had several missing parts, including much of the facial area and the base. The rest of the bones were in fragments. Using modern technology, the team developed a clearer reconstruction, bringing new attention to the child's all experts agree with the hybrid theory. Some researchers caution that DNA evidence is needed to confirm the claim. Others believe the observed traits may reflect natural variation within early modern humans."Even if not 1st-generation hybrids, it's certainly possible that the Skhul fossils reflect some gene flow between the 2 populations," said Chris Stringer, a paleoanthropologist at the Natural History Museum in London, who also did not take part in the study. "Overall though, looking at all the material, including the skeletons, the material still primarily aligns with Homo sapiens, in my view."If proven to be a hybrid, the skull would support the idea that modern humans and Neanderthals interbred more often and earlier than previously thought. This could change long-held views about human migration and studies suggest that genetic exchange between the two species may have occurred about 100,000 years ago. The Skhul child may provide a physical example of this interaction."I have long thought that hybridisations were not viable and I continue to think that they were mostly abortive," said Malasse. "This skeleton reveals that they were nevertheless possible, even though this little girl lived only 5 years."
