Clever Neanderthals Weren't Inferior to Modern Humans: How They Really Became Extinct

Many people believe that Neanderthals were primitive, unable to compete with humans in terms of intelligence. If you think that, though, you'd better think again. Researchers have discovered that Neanderthals were actually bright instead of dim witted, calling into question how we look at the history of our own ancient ancestors.

About 35,000 to 40,000 years ago, Neanderthals thrived in a large swath of Europe and Asia. Yet they disappeared once our ancestors, a group of anatomically modern humans, crossed into Europe from Africa. Researchers have long wondered what caused this disappearance, and many assumed it was because humans were superior to Neanderthals in terms of intelligence. Yet new evidence suggests otherwise.

"The evidence for cognitive inferiority is simply not there," said Paola Villa, one of the researchers, in a news release. "What we are saying is that the conventional view of Neanderthals is not true."

In order to actually come to their findings, the researchers examined nearly a dozen common explanations for Neanderthal extinction that relied on the idea that Neanderthals were anatomically inferior to humans. These explanations involved the notion that Neanderthals did not use complex, symbolic communications, were less efficient hunters with inferior weapons, and had a narrower diet.

So what did the scientists find? None of the hypotheses were supported by available research. Neanderthals likely hunted in groups and used the landscape to their advantage. It's also likely that they could plan ahead and communicate as a group. Fossils also reveal that Neanderthals probably had a diverse diet, eating meat, wild peas, acorns, pistachios, grass seeds, wild olives and whatever else was available.

That's not all, either. Archaeological evidence from sites included ochre, a type of earth pigment. It's very possible that Neanderthals used this for painting their bodies. In addition, archaeologists have uncovered ornaments that Neanderthals used, which suggests a higher level of society.

So if Neanderthals weren't inferior, what caused them to go extinct? The reasons are probably complex, but the Neanderthal genome may reveal some clues. Researchers have found that Neanderthals and humans likely interbred, and that male children may have had reduced fertility. In addition, Neanderthals lived in small groups. All of these factors hint at the idea that Neanderthals were eventually swamped and assimilated into human society.

The findings are published in the journal PLOS One.