Neanderthals versus anatomically modern humans

[Music] The Neanderthals are a hominin species that co-existed with Homo sapiens 400,000 to 40,000 years ago. They are the closest relatives to Homo sapiens on the human family tree and are commonly perceived as brutish cavemen; however, Neanderthals were much more sophisticated than was previously thought. These two species of humans seem so similar, but what gave us the advantage? Let's take a look! Around 450,000 to 130,000 years ago, Neanderthals inhabited the western Atlantic coast of Europe and eventually stretched as far as Central Asia by 130,000 to 40,000 years ago. This makes Neanderthals the first Homo species to inhabit a cold glacial environment. For a long time during the co-evolution of these hominin species, Homo sapiens remained in Africa, until roughly 40,000 years ago when they finally left Africa and dispersed into Western Europe - marking the period where Neanderthal populations began to dwindle. Neanderthal's bodies were suited to colder and darker environments. They had a low brow ridge with large eyes which allowed sight in dim light and wide flat noses that produced warm moist air adapted for harsh cold conditions. In comparison, Homo sapiens have a flat forehead smaller eyes and a smaller nose. Neanderthal's average brain size is approximately 1,400 cubic centimetres while Homo sapiens' average brain size is approximately 1,300 centimetres cubed. Differences in the Neanderthal brain include a smaller frontal cortex this part of the brain is responsible for memory, language and forward planning, such as hunting tactics. Skeletal reconstruction showed the average male Neanderthal was 1.6 meters tall, while the average male Homo sapiens was around 1.8 meters tall. Neanderthals had a stockier build with thicker bones and stronger muscles. This allowed them to live in colder areas and also made them quite strong for hunting large animals Neanderthals were excellent spearmen and made axes out of flint wood and bone for close combat hunting. They used MOUSTERIAN tools which were described as thin flakes of stone. They are thin, easy to make and very deadly! Although, unlike Homo sapiens Neanderthals never developed tools for long-distance hunting, such as bows and arrows. Neanderthals lived in small communities and wide territories. Analysis of the breaking and healing of their bones suggests that they experienced close combat with large mammals. This also shows that they had an advanced medical system as these [bone] breaks healed. They also buried their dead with possessions such as jewelry made of shell and feathers - and because of this we have a good fossil record of them today. In comparison, Homo sapiens had larger communities; they had a more resolved life where they domesticated animals and produced food through agriculture. They showed evidence of abstract thinking, forward planning and cultural development. As they started to create more sophisticated tools such as arrowheads, sewing needles for clothing and abstract art. Neanderthals had the FoxP2 gene which is linked to speech and language development. They also had a HYOID bone which Homo sapiens also possess. The HYOID bone is a u-shaped bone located just under the jawbone and to the front of the throat. This [free floating] bone is also associated with the ability to speak. It supports the larynx and anchors the tongue and other muscles that help with speech and pronunciation. The HYOID bone does not differ much between Neanderthals and  Homo sapiens. The inner ear, however, is shaped differently in Neanderthals compared to Homo sapiens. but both are alike in function. Small ossicles were found in the middle ear of Neanderthals indicating that they could hear, which means they could fully communicate with one another. Neanderthals had larger voice boxes, meaning that their sounds would have been deeper than Homo sapiens. So, although they could fully communicate with each other their sounds would not be similar to ours. [Irish language] Despite these differences, Neanderthals and Homo sapiens had an ability to interbreed. [Irish language] Neanderthal genes are found in modern human genes today. [Irish language] Up to 4% of their genes are still found in our DNA. [Irish language] Neanderthal DNA is found mostly in people from Europe and Asia, [Irish language] while people from Africa will have none. [Irish language] RNA proteins inherited from Neanderthals are found in some humans today. Neanderthals went extinct approximately 40,000 years ago. There are many theories as to why Homo sapiens persevered and Neanderthals did not. Around the same time with Homo sapiens emerging in Europe, there is evidence of a climate shift in which the climate started to  become much warmer This event may have put a strain on the Neanderthal's cold body physiques. As mentioned before - Neanderthals had a much smaller [frontal] cortex. Some scientists believe this would have given them personality traits similar to today that we considered to be on the autism spectrum. They were very task-orientated and they lived in small communities. These small communities may have been overpowered by the larger Homo sapiens communities newly migrating into Europe. Neanderthals also had a very low genetic diversity which would have made them susceptible to the diseases being carried by Homo sapiens emerging out of Africa at the time. DNA evidence also showed that there was interbreeding between both communities, so, it is a possibility that Neanderthal populations may have been mixed and subsequently diluted into the larger Homo sapiens community. The exact reasons behind the Neanderthal extinction is unclear, but we share a huge amount of characteristics with our ancient relatives - Homo neanderthalensis. [Music]

Channel: History Of Life

Views: 32,447

Keywords: Homo sapiens, Homo neanderthalensis, Humans, Neanderthals, Human co-evolution, Stone tools, primitive humans, Irish, human speech, FOXP2 gene, hyoid bone, ossicles, middle ear, RNA proteins, Neanderthal skull, Homo sapiens skull, skeletal reconstruction, hominin species, brain size, facial features, Neanderthal tools, Mousterian, interbreeding, DNA, genetic diversity, migration, NUI Galway, History of Life, Student film, human evolution, palaeontology, Human fossils, education

Id: 05faunfwBis

Length: 6min 24sec (384 seconds)

Published: Fri Feb 28 2020