A reversal of the magnetic poles 42,000 years ago triggered catastrophic climate change and may have wiped out Neanderthals, a new study shows. Australian researchers have analysed the radiocarbon record from ancient trees in New Zealand that were alive when the magnetic poles flipped. The trees revealed spikes in atmospheric radiocarbon levels, caused by the collapse … Read more
Researchers led from France made the first ever three dimensional reconstructions of four of the archaic human’s infants by scanning fossilised remains.
Since being identified more than 160 years ago, Neanderthals have often been presented as dimwitted, barely a step up from our ape ancestors. But scientists have increasingly found evidence our closest extinct human relatives were far more sophisticated – they developed advanced tools, made art and music and used medicine. Now there’s evidence their palate … Read more
Neanderthals weren’t as tough as they seemed: Ancient species had a LOWER pain threshold than most modern-day humans – and the one in 250 people who carry their genes today are still more sensitive, study shows Genetic analysis found almost all of Neanderthals had a specific gene mutation This mutation is also found in around … Read more
Neanderthals’ low genetic diversity may have caused their extinction by hampering their ability to adapt to environmental changes, a study has suggested. Experts studied variations in the upper neck bone of Neanderthals found in Spain and Croatia — the proliferation of which is associated with low genetic diversity. A varied gene pool confers evolutionary strength, … Read more
Neanderthals, Denisovans and Homo sapiens were so closely related that they were able to interbreed and have offspring that were fertile and healthy, a study suggests. Analysis from the University of Oxford reveals the species were more genetically similar than brown bears and polar bears are today. This significant overlap provided genetic compatibility and allowed … Read more
Archaeologists working in a Bulgarian cave have unearthed the earliest direct evidence of modern humans ever found in Europe. The landmark finding reveals that human migration reached Europe around 45,000 years ago, proving the first ever Europeans overlapped with Neanderthals for much longer than previously thought. ‘Now we see there is a period of about … Read more
The average European carries more than 500 genetic ‘fragments’ from Neanderthals and other archaic human species, a study has found. Among this heritage is included genes that are linked to prostate cancer risk, iron retention, blood clotting speed and smaller height. The ancestors of Europeans are known to have mated with Neanderthals and other archaic … Read more
Neanderthals fed regularly on mussels, fish and other omega-3-rich marine life including seals, which likely impacted their cognitive abilities, a new study claims. Archaeological digs along the Portuguese coast reveal the evidence that our cavemen ancestors had as much fondness for seafood as modern humans today. Both Neanderthals and early Homo sapiens tucked into ‘surf … Read more