All articles tagged with #neanderthals
New computer simulations and pollen data show Neanderthals and Mesolithic hunter-gatherers reshaped Europe’s vegetation long before farming, via fire and hunting of large herbivores; Mesolithic groups may have influenced up to 47% of plant-type distribution, while Neanderthals affected about 6% of plant-type distribution and 14% of vegetation openness, challenging the view of an untouched pre-agricultural Europe.
In 2025, significant discoveries about Neanderthals revealed they were the first to make fire, engaged in cannibalism, created symbolic art, used ocher as 'crayons,' and had genetic traits affecting their energy, susceptibility to lead poisoning, and possible reasons for their extinction, highlighting their intelligence and complex behavior.
Scientists at GACT in Tübingen are analyzing DNA from cave sediments to uncover insights about early humans, Neanderthals, and past ecosystems, utilizing advanced sequencing technologies to explore biological time capsules preserved in cave deposits worldwide.
A recent study reveals that early modern humans, called the LRJ Group, lived in Europe around 45,000 years ago, sharing the continent with Neanderthals and using distinctive tools. Genetic analysis shows these groups were closely related but left no descendants, highlighting a brief and unique chapter in human history marked by movement, connection, and survival challenges.
Recent discoveries of ancient cave paintings in Indonesia and Spain suggest that symbolic behavior and art may have been shared by Neanderthals and early humans, predating modern Homo sapiens and challenging traditional views on the uniqueness of human cognition.
New research suggests Neanderthals may never have fully gone extinct but instead were gradually absorbed into Homo sapiens through interbreeding, with their genes still present in modern humans, challenging traditional views on their disappearance.
A new study using a mathematical model suggests that the disappearance of Neanderthals could be explained solely by genetic dilution resulting from repeated small-scale interbreeding with modern humans over thousands of years, without the need for catastrophic events.
Research suggests that tiny genetic differences in the 'dark' regions of our DNA, specifically in an enhancer region called EC 1.45, may explain why Neanderthals had distinct facial features like larger jaws and noses compared to modern humans, with these differences linked to variations in gene regulation during development.
A recent study challenges traditional views of Neanderthals as limited hunters by showing they skillfully processed small birds and used fire for cooking, which may have led to underrepresentation of such behaviors in the archaeological record due to bone fragility and preservation biases, suggesting a higher level of cognitive and behavioral complexity than previously thought.
Archaeologists discovered deliberate finger engravings in a sealed Neanderthal cave in France, dating back over 57,000 years, challenging the view that symbolic behavior was unique to modern humans and suggesting Neanderthals possessed complex cognitive abilities.
A study suggests Neanderthals in Crimea used red and yellow ocher to craft crayons, some of which were sharpened and possibly used for symbolic or social purposes, indicating advanced cognitive and cultural behaviors. However, some experts remain cautious about interpreting these findings as definitive evidence of symbolic art.
Recent discoveries confirm that Neanderthals created various forms of art, including cave paintings, geometric shapes, and deliberate markings, predating the arrival of modern humans in Europe, challenging previous assumptions about their cognitive abilities.
Evidence suggests Neanderthals made and used ocher crayons for drawing or marking, with wear marks indicating they were used on soft surfaces. A 73,000-year-old drawing from South Africa and carved ocher pieces from Crimea demonstrate that Neanderthals engaged in complex cultural and artistic activities, challenging the view that they lacked symbolic or aesthetic behavior.
Recent discoveries from dental plaque, sediment, and excavation sites reveal that Neanderthals had a diverse and regionally adapted diet, including marine resources, plants, and medicinal substances, challenging the old view of them as primitive meat-eaters and highlighting their ecological knowledge and behavioral complexity.
New evidence suggests Neanderthals used ochre not only for practical purposes but also for symbolic or artistic activities, with deliberate shaping and engraving of ochre fragments indicating complex cognition and potential communication or identity expression, challenging the view that symbolic behavior was exclusive to Homo sapiens.