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Surely we and the Neanderthals should have been able to co-exist, but we Cro-Magnons just chose genocide of Neanderthals, how racist of us.
The Neanderthals weren't killed off as a species. Though, undoubtedly many were killed (as many Cro Magnons were killed).
Neanderthals were genetically assimilated, and then their genetic contribution was selected down to the amount that exists within certain populations today.
Modern Humans didn't come from Neanderthals, we have a common ancestor. For whatever reason, anatomically modern humans experienced some sort revolution 60k-90k years ago and started to exhibit behavioral modernity, and we've been boss mode ever since.
No one knows why Neanderthals disappeared, but I doubt it was due to assimilation. I read an article a little while back that non-African humans once had 5-6% Neanderthal DNA and some genes were selected out over time. I'm not sure if that percentage is sufficiently high enough to support the assimilation theory. Eastern Eurasians also have slightly more Neanderthal DNA on average than Western Eurasians, which wouldn't make sense if Neanderthals were assimilated because Western Eurasia was the Neanderthal homeland and you would expect a higher Neanderthal contribution in Modern Humans there because their ancestors were in close contact far longer. Genetic intermingling was probably the exception rather than rule and probably happened relatively early in the history of Modern Humans migrating out of Africa, somewhere in the Middle East, when humanity's numbers outside of Africa was small.
There's also the issue that Neanderthals didn't possess the "Behavioral Modernity" that Modern Humans have, and likely would've have had issues with culturally assimilating into Modern Human bands. A Modern Human would've relatively easily adjusted socially and culturally from being plopped from one Modern Human band to another if that band accepted that individual. The same probably wouldn't have been the case for a Neanderthal being plopped into a Modern Human band, especially if it was genetic factors that spurred behavioral modernity and/or Neanderthals were just wired too differently.
My guess is that it was a mix of outright killing, slowly dying out due to being driven off the best lands, and possibly climate change that did Neanderthals in. They simply weren't as adaptive or adept at planning, tool/clothing making, and working in large numbers as Modern Humans and Modern Humans excelled in almost every category... except physical cold adaptation.
I could be wrong though. Seeing that Neanderthals never passed down their Y chromosomes or mtDNA to Modern Humans, there could've been reproductive fitness issues with the offspring of Neanderthal and Modern Human pairings, and only a small percentage of female offspring of Neanderthal male/Modern Human female parings and/or male offspring of Modern Human male/Neanderthal female pairings were able to pass on their genes.
Nerd rant over. Back your mud-slinging, ladies and gents!!!
Location: 23.7 million to 162 million miles North of Venus
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Quote:
Originally Posted by michiganmoon
Europeans and Asians have the most Neanderthal DNA, Asians also have Denisovan DNA.
We deserve reparations for having our ancestors killed off. Some days I can't even behave civilized or function properly, knowing what happened before I was born. Make it right with money so I can finally hold myself accountable for my own actions.
The Neanderthals weren't killed off as a species. Though, undoubtedly many were killed (as many Cro Magnons were killed).
Neanderthals were genetically assimilated, and then their genetic contribution was selected down to the amount that exists within certain populations today.
No. The mating apparently happened about 60-75,000 years ago when humans first expanded out of Africa into the middle east. But humans retreated. When humans came out for good, Neanderthals were declining and humans outcompeted and/or killed them in Europe.
Lets hope they do not understand the concept of wealth then we can trade them for some bits of shiny aluminum foil for all their arable land and fresh potable drinking water.
Take a look in the mirror
And what do you see
Do you see it clearer
Or are you deceived
In what you believe
'Cause I'm only human after all
You're only human after all
Don't put the blame on me
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