Human
Neanderthal Brains Lose Out to Social Early Humans
Catherine Griffin
First Posted: Mar 19, 2013 11:33 AM EDT
Neanderthals may not have been as social as early humans. A new study reveals that Neanderthal brains were actually better adapted for seeing and maintaining their bigger bodies rather than forming large, social groups.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, examined data from 27,000-75,000-year-old fossils from Europe and the Near East. The researchers then compared the skulls of 32 anatomically modern humans and 13 Neanderthals in order to examine their brain size and organization. They calculated the standard size of fossil brains for body mass and visual processing requirements, and then compared how much of the brain was left over for other cognitive functions, such as social interactions.
The researchers found that in a subset of these fossils, Neanderthals had significantly larger eye sockets, which hinted that they may have had better sight than modern humans. Since Neanderthals most likely evolved at higher latitudes in Europe, it would make sense that they would have better eyes in order to deal with low light conditions.
It's not just the eyes that are different, though. Since Neanderthals had larger bodies, more of their brain was devoted to controlling every-day functions. Because of this, this species had less of their brain to devote to social interactions and other cognitive processes.
"Smaller social groups might have made Neanderthals less able to cope with the difficulties of their harsh Eurasian environments because they would have had fewer friends to help them out in times of need," said lead author Eiluned Pearce, in a press release. "Overall, differences in brain organization and social cognition may go a long way towards explaining why Neanderthals went extinct wheras modern humans survived."
When the fossils of Neanderthals were first discovered, there was scientific debate concerning their large skull size and what the quality of their brains may have been like. This new research, though, may put an end to the debate.
"Our study provides a more direct approach by estimating how much of the brain was allocated to cognitive functions, including the regulation of social group size," said Chris Stringer, a co-author of the paper, in a press release.
In fact, the findings may explain why Neanderthal culture appears to be less developed than that of modern humans in the fossil record--especially when it comes to symbolism, ornamentation and art. The study could have implications for how we study the brain and proves that in this case, quality is better than quantity.
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First Posted: Mar 19, 2013 11:33 AM EDT
Neanderthals may not have been as social as early humans. A new study reveals that Neanderthal brains were actually better adapted for seeing and maintaining their bigger bodies rather than forming large, social groups.
The study, published in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, examined data from 27,000-75,000-year-old fossils from Europe and the Near East. The researchers then compared the skulls of 32 anatomically modern humans and 13 Neanderthals in order to examine their brain size and organization. They calculated the standard size of fossil brains for body mass and visual processing requirements, and then compared how much of the brain was left over for other cognitive functions, such as social interactions.
The researchers found that in a subset of these fossils, Neanderthals had significantly larger eye sockets, which hinted that they may have had better sight than modern humans. Since Neanderthals most likely evolved at higher latitudes in Europe, it would make sense that they would have better eyes in order to deal with low light conditions.
It's not just the eyes that are different, though. Since Neanderthals had larger bodies, more of their brain was devoted to controlling every-day functions. Because of this, this species had less of their brain to devote to social interactions and other cognitive processes.
"Smaller social groups might have made Neanderthals less able to cope with the difficulties of their harsh Eurasian environments because they would have had fewer friends to help them out in times of need," said lead author Eiluned Pearce, in a press release. "Overall, differences in brain organization and social cognition may go a long way towards explaining why Neanderthals went extinct wheras modern humans survived."
When the fossils of Neanderthals were first discovered, there was scientific debate concerning their large skull size and what the quality of their brains may have been like. This new research, though, may put an end to the debate.
"Our study provides a more direct approach by estimating how much of the brain was allocated to cognitive functions, including the regulation of social group size," said Chris Stringer, a co-author of the paper, in a press release.
In fact, the findings may explain why Neanderthal culture appears to be less developed than that of modern humans in the fossil record--especially when it comes to symbolism, ornamentation and art. The study could have implications for how we study the brain and proves that in this case, quality is better than quantity.
See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone