What is the current most fashionable theory for the decline of neandertals?

Answer 1

As others have already said, the neanderthal downfall may have been due to anatomically modern H. sapiens either killing them off or outcompeting them in the hunting-gathering niche. 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. 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 (Ancestor's Tale) 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

Most fashionable?

Interesting word choice.

Here's an excerpt from New Scientists page on human evolution:

The Neanderthals were found across Europe, between 200,000 and 28,000 years ago. Though they still possessed pronounced brow ridges and were more thick-set, these people largely resembled us. They were as nimble-fingered, and matured at a similar age to us. Their brains were even slightly larger. It is not known if the Neanderthals had developed simple language. But they did possess some aspects of our culture, such as ritual burying of the dead; creating art; using tools to attack each other; and complex hunting methods - as evidenced by a remarkable butchery site in the UK.

Experts disagree about whether the Neanderthals hybridised with humans or not, or if our arrival killed them. Plunging temperatures, free trade and poor memory may all have contributed towards their extinction.

end quote: so it's still a matter of controversy amonth scientists.

Answer 3

The most probable is that they were assimilated with Homo sapiens, and then 100% original neantherdal disapeared...
But the current trend is that they become extinct because of over competition of ressources against the sapiens. Since they were living only in Europe, their survival chances were pretty slims, as the sapiens did almost spread over the whole planet at the time!

Answer 4

neandertals merged in to homo sapiens in Europe. In time, all the genetic charecteristics of neaderthals were lost and so caucasians are now genetically similar to other homo spaiens. But some of the basic mental charecteristics and attitudes of the neandertals still remain in this mix breed.

Answer 5

The slow extinction of a species is seldom caused by one reason. I find it odd that we do not seem to be able to accept that multiple factors are more likely to have caused the decline of Homo Neanderthalens. A population already weakened by competition over resources in a changing climate can be finished of easily by natural causes, like local disasters or a particularly virulent disease. Small isolated populations are also vulnerable to genetic diseases.

Answer 6

ndividuals of European descent may be 5 percent Neanderthal, while West Africans could be related to an archaic human population, according to a recent study of genes of people from Yoruba and individuals living in Utah with ancestry from Northern and Western Europe.

Since both groups spread, the find suggests we all have a bit of archaic DNA in our genes. This counters the view that modern humans left Africa and replaced all other existing hominid populations

Answer 7

As modern humans developed into sophisticated thinking beings, capable of conceptualizing, projecting, and using tools to make life easier, neanderthal man began to fade away. They could no longer compete with, or survive in a changing world.

The one startling exception is a small pocket of them that survive in continental north America. Refered to now as neo-conservatives, they even have their own organization, Fox News. Not sure how they have survived this long but they do.

Answer 8

Most say H. Neanderthalensis simply couldn't compete. I think it much more likely based on a study of modern H. Sapiens and history that H. Sapiens actively killed H. Neanderthalensis. Most anthropologists generally seem to think war is a modern human invention it seems to me.

Answer 9

Cause homo sapiens(thats us) came along and were smarter and could hunt and get food better. Neanderthals and our predecessors lived together for quite some time but eventually the neanderthals died out leaving our stone age ancestors to rule the roost.It was a case of he survival of the fittest,a natural selection process.

Answer 10

One of the more recent theories I've heard is that they did not merge with modern man. They simply lacked the ability to cope with climate change due to their body size.