[_ Old Earth _] Growing up Neanderthal

[reznwerks]

Growing up Neandertal
Pat Shipman

They were not us. That is, Neandertals were probably not members of our own species, judging from recent analyses of mitochondrial DNA (described in the November-December 2003 issue). Nonetheless, Neandertals were clearly built on a human-like plan (or vice versa) with some crucial modifications.
A glance at the fossil remains of......

http://www.americanscientist.org/templa ... etid/37226

 

[Barbarian]

A few misconceptions might be spread by that article:

1. Some anatomically modern humans have the occiptial "bun" also.

2. There is very little evidence that suggests we evolved from Neandertals, but there is abundant evidence that they evolved from humans who looked more like us. Early Neandertals looked more like us than later ones.

3. The increased growth rate of teeth may have something to do with the fact that they seem to have used their front teeth for chewing, perhaps softening hides, as some anatomically modern peoples do. They show the same kinds of wear on the front teeth. It could well be an adaptation.

The evidence is best for the idea that Neandertals are humans who evolved a number of modifications for living in a rather difficult environment, becoming sufficiently different to become a different species.