There Were Far More Neanderthals Than Previously Thought

[Judi Lynn]

There Were Far More Neanderthals Than Previously Thought


What we thought we knew about the Neanderthals may have been wrong. It seems there were many more of our heavy-browed cousins than archaeological evidence suggests, and they most likely occurred as a species far earlier than anyone had thought.

A new study has delved deeply into the genetics of Neanderthals, the arcane Denisovans, and ourselves, to better understand how all three species relate to each other. They found that despite the low genetic diversity suggesting that there may have only been a few thousand Neanderthals stalking the forests of Eurasia, this is likely an error relating to how the species lived, and that it was much more probable that there were tens of thousands living in small fragmented populations.

The research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, was able to reveal a number of new findings about the history of Neanderthals over the past million years. Amazingly, they were able to see that the lineage that would eventually give rise to Neanderthals and Denisovans splitting from our own ancestors – which is thought to have happened when Homo erectus migrated from Africa – very nearly went extinct.

If this had happened, it would have meant that Neanderthals would never have come to dominate Europe, and when our own species eventually made it out of Africa, we would have found a distinctly different landscape, empty of many other hominins we now know were flourishing.

More:
http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/there-were-far-more-neanderthals-than-previously-thought/

[Binkie The Clown]

1. Oh, I thought you were talking about in the White House. :-) n/t

[Judi Lynn]

2. Looks as if they show up everywhere, unfortunately.

- click for image -

http://assets.nydailynews.com/polopoly_fs/1.2759196.1471726664!/img/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_1200/statue21n-2-web.jpg

[Doreen]

3. This is very interesting.

First thing it makes me think of is the series Clan of the Cave Bear. Not the movie but the books. Jean M. Auel did a good job of doing research before she wrote those books so they make sense from a history point of view. The second thing I thought is that I know this guy who literally looks like a monkey in a Neanderthal type of way. He looks like the pictures of Neanderthals that scientist have developed from using the skeletons and computer technology to see what they may have looked like. I have seen other people in my life that are the same and it has always made me wonder just how far we really are. I know that I sound mean but it is not meant to be mean but only an observation.

[Judi Lynn]

4. You're not alone in your experience. I've seen people very, VERY close in appearance to this one

repeatedly throughout my life, some of them being almost astonishingly similar, so similar they almost make you think you're seeing things. They instantly draw your attention, but you immediately muffle your curiosity, not wanting to make them feel out of place or strange.

I've seen they seem to move very comfortably around in their own circles, simply operating on what seems to be a different wave length, with their own ways, interests, attitudes, seemingly relaxed, and well adapted to their own lives.

Every now and then, another one appears, in public, almost like a reminder of how much we don't begin to know!