Nature & Environment
Neanderthals’ Extinction May Have Been Caused By Climate Change
Sam D
First Posted: May 14, 2016 07:29 AM EDT
Climate change may have had a role to play in the extinction of Neanderthals. According to a new study, the vagaries associated with change in weather patterns on Earth could have led to the demise of man's ancient cousins.
Around 200,000 years ago, Neanderthals inhabited many areas in what is now Europe and Asia. Researchers suggest that the species, of the genus Homo, became extinct somewhere between 40,000 and 28,000 years ago. There are various theories for their demise; however the main part of the blame usually falls on us, the Homo sapiens who were spreading across Europe at the same time when Neanderthals were dying off. Man is speculated to have thrown in a fierce competition for food and other resources, which left the prehistoric species struggling. Apart from this, human ancestors may have also spread dangerous diseases that couldn't be survived by Neanderthals.
According to a new study published in the Journal of Human Evolution, clues were found that climate change could shoulder some of the blame for the doom of Neanderthals. There is a strong probability the weather pattern starved the prehistoric species to death. The researching team of archaeologists came to the conclusion after analyzing deer fossils that were remnants of a kill by Neanderthals. It was seen that the prehistoric species struggled to even remove the flesh from deer bones during winters.
"Our research uncovers a pattern showing that cold, harsh environments were stressful for Neanderthals. As the climate got colder, Neanderthals had to put more into extracting nutrients from bones," said Dr Jamie Hodgkins from the University of Colorado Denver. "This is especially apparent in evidence that reveals Neanderthals attempted to break open even low marrow yield bones, like the small bones of the feet".
The researchers suggested that if cold weather stressed Neanderthals, their subsistence behaviors may have changed, leading to the "intensified use of prey through more extensive nutrient extraction from faunal carcasses". During the analysis of the animal fossils, it was found that there was an increased frequency of percussion marks on the bones which meant that the Neanderthals needed to eat all of the marrow because of limited food availability. Furthermore, though this could be a general behavior by Neanderthals, the study indicates that animal remains were processed more heavily during glacial periods which suggested an increased nutritional stress during colder periods. The study led the team of researchers to conclude that a rapidly changing climate had an adverse effect on the population of Neanderthals, who were already competition for their supplies with Homo sapiens, and the further struggle eventually led to their doom.
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First Posted: May 14, 2016 07:29 AM EDT
Climate change may have had a role to play in the extinction of Neanderthals. According to a new study, the vagaries associated with change in weather patterns on Earth could have led to the demise of man's ancient cousins.
Around 200,000 years ago, Neanderthals inhabited many areas in what is now Europe and Asia. Researchers suggest that the species, of the genus Homo, became extinct somewhere between 40,000 and 28,000 years ago. There are various theories for their demise; however the main part of the blame usually falls on us, the Homo sapiens who were spreading across Europe at the same time when Neanderthals were dying off. Man is speculated to have thrown in a fierce competition for food and other resources, which left the prehistoric species struggling. Apart from this, human ancestors may have also spread dangerous diseases that couldn't be survived by Neanderthals.
According to a new study published in the Journal of Human Evolution, clues were found that climate change could shoulder some of the blame for the doom of Neanderthals. There is a strong probability the weather pattern starved the prehistoric species to death. The researching team of archaeologists came to the conclusion after analyzing deer fossils that were remnants of a kill by Neanderthals. It was seen that the prehistoric species struggled to even remove the flesh from deer bones during winters.
"Our research uncovers a pattern showing that cold, harsh environments were stressful for Neanderthals. As the climate got colder, Neanderthals had to put more into extracting nutrients from bones," said Dr Jamie Hodgkins from the University of Colorado Denver. "This is especially apparent in evidence that reveals Neanderthals attempted to break open even low marrow yield bones, like the small bones of the feet".
The researchers suggested that if cold weather stressed Neanderthals, their subsistence behaviors may have changed, leading to the "intensified use of prey through more extensive nutrient extraction from faunal carcasses". During the analysis of the animal fossils, it was found that there was an increased frequency of percussion marks on the bones which meant that the Neanderthals needed to eat all of the marrow because of limited food availability. Furthermore, though this could be a general behavior by Neanderthals, the study indicates that animal remains were processed more heavily during glacial periods which suggested an increased nutritional stress during colder periods. The study led the team of researchers to conclude that a rapidly changing climate had an adverse effect on the population of Neanderthals, who were already competition for their supplies with Homo sapiens, and the further struggle eventually led to their doom.
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone