What happened to neandrathals?

Question

Did they intebreed with homosampiens

Answer 1

Despite their adaptations, Neanderthals met their rapid demise about twenty eight thousand years ago. Their downfall may have been due to anatomically modern H. sapiens either killing them off or outcompeting them in the hunting-gathering niche. Despite anatomical differences, H. sapiens migrating from Africa behaved remarkably similar to Neanderthals based on the tools and sites both hominid species left behind. Due to their brief coexistence, there was likely a direct competition for resources between the two homonids, such as available food sources and suitable living habitat. Competition is part of the selection pressure occurring in the competition exclusion principle, and since two species with identical niches cannot exist in a community, one species may be eliminated if the competition becomes serious.

Another possible explanation for the Neanderthal demise was that they interbred with H. sapiens and became genetically absorbed into the newcomer population. According to Dawkins, interbreeding cannot be ruled out completely, and it is possible that some modern individuals may have Neanderthal ancestry. However, DNA evidence suggests that the Neanderthals contributed little, if any, genes to modern gene pools.

Answer 2

In answer to the part, did they interbreed, there is some evidence that that happened, but it was not thought to be common.

What scientists think happended was this. Neaderthals was "designed" to survive the harsh times of the ice ages in Europe. They were sturdy and muscular and tough. At some point after they had been there for a while the ice age eneded (this would have been slowly over a number of years). THe early humans (called Cro magnum man or H.sapiens sapiens. They were much better adapted to a wider range of things eg hunting, tool making, etc and with the change in climate were actually better adapted now than the Neaderthals.
Over probalby thousands of years the neaderthals retreated (in numbers and places where they were best suited). They possibly mixed with the Cro magnuns too. However they simply were unable to survive in the new climate with the new competition (remember no 2 species can survive in the same area and same habitiat....one will eventually win and the other die or move away).

Remember they are not considered to be direct descendants to us, just a side ( and now dead end) chain.

Answer 3

Isn't it strange though that neanderthals(who was supposed to be superior to a common ape) died out and yet the ape did not. Also, how many of you knew that about 60 years back, they discovered that the skull of neanderthal man was actually a fake, yes a fake, the jaw bone of a ape was filed down to fit on a human skull and yet they still mention this as proof that evolution does occur. Very interesting. In my opinion neanderthals never existed. It's sad really when facts are thrown out the window, just because it doesn't fit the theory, I thought science was supposed to work the other way around. When a fact disproves a theory, you throw out the theory and start on a new one.

Try the following link: http://www.drdino.com

Answer 4

They may have and likely did interbreed but probably didn't produce many if any viable (fertile) offspring. For some reason most anthropoligist seem to not give much credit to modern humans living 30,000 to 50,000 years ago. If they were like modern humans, which seems logical to me, they were engaged in warfare and other very aggressive behaviors. Neanderthals were likely usually victims because they had shorter range weapons and were probably not quite as good runners. That would be a fatal combination when you have warfare trained humans moving into your neighborhood. I think they survived for a very long time at the periphery and in caves but were esentially displaced very quickly.

Answer 5

Over a long period of time, various groups of primates were better suited to their environment. The better suited ones survive, and the less suited ones die off.

Over a very long period of time this causes changes in the genetic pool of the species. Eventually new species emerge. In some cases whole groups / species can die off as a result of a rapid change in the environment.

A combination of speciation (emergence of new species), and environment change are responsible for the disappearance of many animals - including Neanderthals.

Answer 6

Scientists are not exactly sure yet, but they think they may not have been quite as intelligent as the Homo Sapiens that were spreading around the World at the time, and that they gradually died out (became extinct).

Answer 7

They bought Raider jerseys and moved to Oakland, CA.

Answer 8

They went extinct...like several other homin species prior to them.

Answer 9

They died.