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They did have contact. If they didn't have contact, then that raises a number of problems that cannot be explained by science. For a long time, it was erroneously believed that Homo Sapiens came from Homo Neanderthalis. Fortunately, science is self-correcting (eventually) and it is now accepted that these are two distinct lines of hominids.
It was also erroneously believed that Homo Neanderthalis had no speech capabilities. That was refuted with the discovery of skeletal remains with the hyoid bones intact, and also by DNA evidence which shows they had the FP2 gene.
So now everyone is forced to accept that two distinct lines evolved in the same way and under the same circumstances to lead to Homo Sapiens and Homo Neanderthalis having the same gene.
A lot of people are dismissive and cite claims that the difference between the two groups only amounts to 1% to 3% of genes. Unfortunately, a lot of people can't grasp numbers and don't realize that 1%-3% is still 220 to 800 genes, and that is a lot of genes.
It's like saying that changing 800 pieces of the puzzle won't alter the way the puzzle looks, or changing 800 things/parts on a car won't change the way a car looks or operates. Those differences are small, but can still be huge in appearance.
We have sites that have alternating layers of Homo Sapiens and Homo Neanderthalis showing those sites were occupied alternately by the two groups so we know they co-existed in the same time period. It's a certainty they interbred, but I doubt we'll ever know to what extent.
The most scientific and clear post on this subject so far, looks like someone spent the time to learn and knows their science, well done.
Casper
"Human" in taxonomic usage refers to the various members of the genus Homo, extant and extinct. There is no dispute that Neanderthals were members of the genus Homo.
I think Neanderthals are still among us. I think it's hard to believe that humans and Neanderthals had no contact.
I think it may be possible, but considering how humans have been crazy-weird about interracial dallying for centuries, I think it is unlikely paleolithic mane would have regularly gone for a truly different species. Any sapien-neanderthalensis crosses would probably be the result of rape (probably going both ways) and their contribution to the human gene pool would be minimal.
the max planck institute for evolutionary anthropology released in 2010 evidence that this happened with a 2% to 5% genetic overlap. only africans did not interbreed with neanderthals.
I think it may be possible, but considering how humans have been crazy-weird about interracial dallying for centuries, I think it is unlikely paleolithic mane would have regularly gone for a truly different species. Any sapien-neanderthalensis crosses would probably be the result of rape (probably going both ways) and their contribution to the human gene pool would be minimal.
I doubt they considered each other more different than the various races of modern humans consider each other. After all, they probably looked similar, maybe even more similar than Africans and Scandinavians today. They had no idea of races and species etc.
Just look at the indigenous people of the Middle East. There's your answer... You can not only see that it did happen, but where most of it occurred.
The people who inhabit western Asia (middle east) are mixed breeds, they are the descendants from all the ancient African and Caucasian interbreeding.
As far as Neaderthals breeding with modern Caucasians, it happened in the place that what we now call Europe: in particular, Russia, Bulgaria, Caucasus mountain area.
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You can not only see that it did happen, but where most of it occurred.
