Anyone for a real Anthropology question?

Question

The sense that we (as humans) came from Africa and migrated to the Europe and Asia areas. So what happened to the Homo neanderthalensis (The Neanderthals)?

Answer 1

Ah...the great debate. Everyone on here has either given a view on this or has spoofed it in an attempt to get their two points in (losers). However, please entertain mine. I, personally, do not prescribe to the "Out of Aftrica" hypothese, I am more of a "Multi-Regional" man myself. First, let me state that I do not recongize the species Homo neanderthalensis. I believe that the Neandertals were a subspecies of Homo sapiens and should be labeled as Homo sapiens neanderthalensis. The difference is that if you consider Neandertals to have been a different species, you bar the possibility of their having been able to interbreed other Homo sapiens to produce fertile offspring.

The Out of Africa hypothesis is a the idea that all modern human arose out of East Africa approximately 100,000 years ago, and rapidly sweep across the globe displacing and extincting (is that a word?) all other human populations (there were a lot). This concept is based solely upon genetic studies of living populations, with some support from poorly perserved genetic samples of Neandertals and others. This concept is completely contradictory to the evidence found in the archaeological record.

The Multi-Regional hypothesis postulates that anatomically modern humans evolved at approximately the same time in all areas of the Old World. Interbreeding between adjanct groups would maintain a flow of genes that would ensure that all groups would progress in the same manner. This would account for the continuation of regionally specific anatomical features, tool kits, and other artifacts from pre-anatomically modern humans into anatomically modern populations (the Out of Aftrica hypothesis ignores this continuation). It is reasonable to assume that some populations would evolve faster than others, which would account for evidence of Neandertals living in the same areas at the same time as anatomically modern humans. However, through generations of interbreeding the Neandertals would have been asorbed into the anatomically modern gene pool and would have cessed to exist as an independent, discreet population. Modern examples of this can be found in situations where Europeans encountered autochthonous peoples. Australian Aborigines and native Tanzanians possess many skeletal differences to other peoples. A physical anthropologist lacking any knowledge of these people might well place them in a seperate species if looking at the skeleton alone (some in the 18th and 19th centuries tried to do this, even when looking at the living peoples). Despite these differences, European settlers interbreed with with these peoples to the point that today, some populations can no longer be readily identified...they were absorbed into the general gene pool.

Thus, this is my belief of what happened to the Neandertals...they were absorbed into the general human gene pool and, along with other populations, evolved into anatomically modern humans.

Answer 2

The neanderthals and other primitive ancestors did not exactly die, and did not exactly survive.

What happened was, at about 50,000 BCE, a new species evolved in ethiopia and spread across the entire human species of the world from there. This new species was significantly more intelligent than the other humans of the time. The new species copulated with the older species, which produced hybrids. Some of the hybrid offspring possessed the genes of high intelligence from the new species, and others did not. The humans hybrids that did not inherit the genes of high intelligence, as well as the pure-blood primitive humans, died off because they were too stupid. However, many modern humans possess traits from those ancestral now-extinct species, due to being descendents of hybrids.

The scientist Spencer Wells has charted the migrations (what may be called a 'hybridization wave') of the species that arose in ethiopia, but there is undeniable physical proof that the many modern humans, if not most, are hybrids between the new species and the old (as opposed to pure or nearly-pure members of the new species), that obtained the genes of high intelligence from the new species. That is because many skeletons, and particularly skulls, of modern humans, have substantial similarity to those of the pre- homo sapiens that lived in the same respective areas. So, not only did hybrids between advanced and primitive human species exist, but they may constitute most modern humans.

Answer 3

The Neanderthals were likely quite intelligent, but they just "lost" from the humans. There's no proof of violence encounters that i know of, but when humans came, normally Neanderthals were gone after a while. Also physically they were too specialized built to survive the changing environments they lived in, or were "pushed" in by humans.
Also some people like to think they cross-breeded with humans. Though it can't be completely ruled out, it is most likely not true. There has been found Neanderthals genetic material, and the study of this material contradicts interbreeding. Even more likely is they were genetically even too far apart to be able to "make babies".
But so far the exact reason of Neanderthals disappearance in not known, but probably it's a combination of environmental changes they couldn't handle, while humans that were moving in the Neanderthals inhabited regions, just did better. It was just survival of the fittest.

Answer 4

Just for the record, I have NO idea.

The book the Clan of the Cave Bear sort of addresses the idea of a brief meeting of early current humanity and neanderthals.

From what I gather, though, the Neanderthals were largely central european and did did not survive because they were more migratory in nature...I think the theory is that by moving around so much, they exposed themselves to greater elemental risks...getting trapped in unsurvivable bad weather, not having steady food supply that cultivation allows, something like that.

Answer 5

I know of three hypotheses.

1) Humans simply outhunted Neandertals.

2) The climate change after the Ice Age made it difficult for cold-adapted Neandertals to adjust.

3) Neandertals and humans interbred.

There's some doubt on the second and third hypotheses, since a) neandertals adapted well to previous climatic changes and b)dna comparisons seem to suggest otherwise. I think the first, or some variant of the first is more plausible.

Answer 6

I agree with Wayne above. The multi-regional theory of Dr. Milford Wolpoff (U of Mich) seems to be most applicable. The neanderthal genes are still within us. The discovery of the hybrid child in France goes a long way to suggesting such a potential.

Thanks for asking a really good Paleoanthropology question. Please ask more!!!!

:)

Answer 7

Their only last remains are in the Germany, northern Europe area. They disappeared around 30-40,000 years ago, at about the same time as our ancestors appeared on the scene. Most likely, the ones with the biggest cerebral cortex made the difference on which hominid was to survive.

I wonder if they ever inter-mixed?

Answer 8

The story goes, that Neanderthals were an inferior species who were unable to adapt and survive and therefore became extinct. I think it's all a crock, including that humans originated in Africa.

Answer 9

I don't buy the theory that we came from Africa. The historical evidence is that we came somewhere above Mesopatamia and and West of the Black Se, and migrated down towards Mesopatamia first, and then out from there. Genetic mapping isn't complete enough to conclude that we came out of Africa.

You have to accept that man was not created man, and that I do not accept on genetic grounds as well as Biblical ones.

Answer 10

Homo neanderthalensis who cares their gone