{"id":730,"date":"2023-02-10T06:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-10T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blueandread.asbarcelona.com\/?p=730"},"modified":"2023-02-09T12:20:51","modified_gmt":"2023-02-09T12:20:51","slug":"neanderthals-the-misunderstood-species","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blueandread.asbarcelona.com\/?p=730","title":{"rendered":"Neanderthals: The Misunderstood Species"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You might have heard someone being called a \u201cneanderthal\u201d, as a form of an insult; however, research conducted by paleolithic archeologists in the 1990s suggested that our prehistoric cousins were a lot more nuanced in behavior than one would think. In recent studies, scientists were able to add to this claim by analyzing evidence left from the tools, bones and fibers of these early humans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But for starters, what distinguishes Neanderthals from other primates? They are characterized by their \u201clarge nose, strong double-arched brow ridge, relatively short and stocky bodies.\u201d The name, meaning \u2018human from Neander Valley,\u2019 indicates where the first identified Homo Neanderthalensis<\/em> bones were found: in a small valley in Germany. This species is thought to have originated in Eurasia and lived from about 40,000 to 400,000 years ago. Though the cause is unknown, the species is thought to have gone extinct about 40,000 years ago.Currently, Homo sapiens<\/em> are the only human species left in existence. Nevertheless, our genome is very similar to this species of early man, with Neanderthal DNA being 99.7 percent identical to modern human DNA. Many of this species\u2019 fossils and artifacts have been found in caves, which is why the word \u201cneanderthal\u201d is synonymous with the word \u201ccaveman\u201d for most laypeople. But many Homo sapiens <\/em>also resided in caves, so is it fair to distance ourselves from our primitive cousins? As a matter of fact, as much as 60-70% of the species\u2019 genome is found in living humans, according to Svante P\u00e4\u00e4bo, a Swedish geneticist and winner of the Nobel prize in Physiology.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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P. NANNINI\/MIC ITALIAN MINISTRY OF CULTURE<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

To put things into perspective, our ancestors and Neanderthals went their separate ways over 400,000 years ago, resulting in genetic differences such as skull structure and the proteins that code for our genes. However, there are still a lot of similarities in the behaviors that are hard to ignore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only did Neanderthals hunt animals and treat illnesses, but they also had a more artistic side that allowed them to create jewelry and cave-paintings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A remarkable find was the one meter long wooden tools the early humans used to hunt animals, just like hunters in modern day use. What makes this find so remarkable is that wood tends to decay easily, but these tools were in almost pristine condition. The archeologist Biancamaria Aranguren explained that they were \u201csoaked in thermal water,\u201d which is why they have been preserved for so long. Another new insight is that the bones that were found show signs of previous injuries and illnesses, indicating that the species knew a thing or two about healthcare. These injuries weren\u2019t fatal, which demonstrates their ability to treat their injuries. However, bones can show traces of disease but don\u2019t show signs of a common cold because it is not enough to leave a permanent mark, which leaves gaps for us to understand the full picture. Back in 2018, prominent archeologist Paul Pettitt and his collaborators analyzed a series of wall paintings found in Spanish caves, as pictured below. The materials in the paintings are thought to be about 65,000 years old. These artworks indicate that Neanderthals had the capacity to depict concepts through art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Like every species, Neanderthals deserve to be understood to an accurate extent and credited for their brainpower. Learning from prehistoric populations can give us modern humans a good understanding of our current genetics. As scientists continue to extract evidence from their genetic clues, fossils and artifacts, this knowledge will give us new insight on our common biology and rewrite the story of humanity more accurately.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Bibliography:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Connolly, Kate. \u201cSvante P\u00e4\u00e4bo: \u2018It\u2019s maybe time to rethink our idea of Neanderthals\u2019.\u201d The Guardian. 12 Jan 2023.
https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/science\/2023\/jan\/12\/svante-paabo-interview-nobel-prize.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hendry, Lisa. \u201cWho were the Neanderthals?\u201d Natural History Museum. 27 Jan 2023.
https:\/\/www.nhm.ac.uk\/discover\/who-were-the-neanderthals.html.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History.com Editors. \u201cNeanderthals.\u201d History. 17 Oct 2017.
https:\/\/www.history.com\/topics\/pre-history\/neanderthals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Joyce, Christopher. \u201cStudy: Neanderthals Wore Jewelry And Makeup.\u201d NPR. 12 Jan 2010.
https:\/\/www.npr.org\/2010\/01\/12\/122466430\/study-neanderthals-wore-jewelry-and-makeup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNeanderthals: the oldest art in the world wasn\u2019t made by Homo sapiens.\u201d Durham University. 17 Jan 2023.
https:\/\/www.durham.ac.uk\/research\/current\/thought-leadership\/neanderthals-the-oldest-art-in-the-world-wasnt-made-by-homo-sapiens\/.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pettitt, Paul. \u201cTHE OLDEST PAINTINGS EVER FOUND ON EARTH WERE NOT MADE BY HUMANS \u2014 RESEARCH.\u201d Inverse. 22 Jan 2023.
https:\/\/www.inverse.com\/science\/oldest-art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Piore, Adam. \u201cNeanderthals Were Smart, Sophisticated, Creative\u2014and Misunderstood.\u201d Newsweek. 28 Dec 2022.
https:\/\/www.newsweek.com\/2023\/01\/13\/neanderthals-were-smart-sophisticated-creative-misunderstood-1769443.html.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Price, Michael. \u201cModern humans and Neanderthals may have overlapped, shared culture in Western Europe.\u201d Science. 13 Oct 2022.
https:\/\/www.science.org\/content\/article\/modern-humans-and-neanderthals-may-have-overlapped-shared-culture-western-europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stevens, Alison. \u201cNeandertals were a lot like our human ancestors.\u201d ScienceNewsExplores. 19 Jan 2023.
https:\/\/www.snexplores.org\/article\/neandertals-human-ancestors-archaeology-tools-culture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSvante P\u00e4\u00e4bo Facts.\u201d Nobel Prize. 27 Jan 2023.
https:\/\/www.nobelprize.org\/prizes\/medicine\/2022\/paabo\/facts\/.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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