"Revealing the Early History of Humans and Neanderthals in Europe"

The discovery of human bones and tools in a German cave suggests that pioneering groups of Homo sapiens settled in northern Europe over 45,000 years ago, potentially coexisting with Neanderthals. This finding challenges previous assumptions about the timeline of human migration and interaction with Neanderthals, indicating repeated smaller excursions into Europe and earlier human presence than previously thought. The discovery also raises questions about how humans adapted to extreme cold environments and their potential role in the extinction of Neanderthals.