Russell Shortt

Neanderthal v Homo Sapien



Posted: Wednesday, July 22, 2009

by
Exploring Ireland

The world used to be a tad more interesting, more like Return of the Jedi than the strait-laced globe that we now inhabit where we are all the same. One hundred thousand years ago, a diverse group of hominids occupied Earth, however if you are reading this you are a Homo Sapien, the only ones that survived to the present day. The dominant theory of human movement is that there were two big advances that dispersed humans across Eurasia. The first occurred around two million years ago, as waves of Homo Erectus moved out of Africa, and as they settled in different parts of the world, they evolved into distinctive types. In Asia, they evolved into Java Man and Peking Man, while in Europe they evolved into Homo heidelbergensis and Homo neanderthalensis. The second movement occurred around one hundred thousand years ago, another creature emerged from Africa, Homo Sapien and in time they displaced all that had went before them. Scientists are unsure as to how this displacement took place, there has being no definitive sign unearthed that indicate that mammoth slaughter took place, some reckon that the Homo Sapiens may have introduced a devastating disease that wiped out the other groups.

Recently, fossil experts have stated that there are emerging signs, that somewhat barbarically Homo Sapiens may have eaten them. It is a controversial theory, Neanderthals were a hardy bunch, they had survived several Ice Ages, were much stronger and robust than Homo Sapiens and most importantly the idea that a Homo Sapien could devour something so close to their likeness is quite galling. What makes it all the more unsettling is the fact that research has unveiled that contrary to the common perception of the Neanderthal as simian, stooped and utterly stupid, they were in fact more like modern man than we might like. Their body plan was more or less similar to our own, we both developed hunting tools and used fire, indeed their brains were in fact larger than ours. But Homo Sapien man prevailed, due to what many scientists believe was the ability to utilise their brain power better.

However, there are some commentators that think that Homo Sapiens may not have completely prevailed, that perhaps Neanderthal man still effects the modern gene pool. Yes, many reckon that far from eating Neanderthal man we may have in fact have mated with them. It's a contentious issue, many arguing the case against, pointing out that Homo Sapiens and Neanderthals contain different numbers of chromosomes and therefore their offspring would be incapable of reproducing. Whatever the reason, Neanderthal man was driven further and further west in face of the Homo Sapien wave which moved steadily across Europe. They made their final stand in caves wedged into the towering cliffs of Gibraltar, gazing over at the northern fringes of Africa, their homeland of millions of years before. The last of the Neanderthals breathed his last breath over twenty-five thousand years ago, marking the end of a remarkably long existence. They had survived in Europe for two hundred thousand years, from as far West as Britain, to as far East as Mongolia. It is believed that their numbers never exceeded fifteen thousand but they knew how to endure in the most hostile of climates.

Russell Shortt is a travel consultant with Exploring Ireland, the leading specialists in customised, private escorted tours, escorted coach tours and independent self drive tours of Ireland. Article source Russell Shortt, http://www.exploringireland.net

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