[AntiGuv]

In recent years there is increasing evidence, although not definitive, that Neanderthals were a fully distinct species. The biggest reason for this new understanding is because back in the day scientists had little more than bone structure to go on. So, they looked at the bone structure of Neanderthals and that of modern humans and they concluded that the similarity was so great they must be subspecies. With the advent of infinitely more refined genetic research, as well as a wealth of additional archaeological findings, it's becoming clearer and clearer that Neanderthals were probably a distinct species.

[JustDoItAlways]

Does it really matter if the Neanderthals interbred with us or not?

We are what we are.

We've inherited genes from the earliest life-forms. We've got little bacteria in our cells that hitched a ride 1 billion years ago. We share 96% of our DNA with the chimpazees and more with the bonobos.

I'm sure Neanderthals were very closely related to us but they are gone now and it makes no difference at all whether a few interbred with us or not.

What is more interesting is how did they survive in Ice Age Europe through two different 100,000 year Ice Ages. It couldn't have been much fun.

[mewzilla]

Okay, thanks! I guess I'm justwondering what it is about the differences in bone structure that would lead scientists to suspect that a union between the two groups would be sterile.

[S0122017]

According to my paleontology teacher, biggest difference between any two humans on the planet today is less than the difference between a neanderthal and a modern human.

There are many differences in the skeleton alone, and there could have been many more in physiology.

On the other hand, on rare occasions even two different species can produce offspring, usually sterile.
For instance, almost every combination of big cat can hybridize.

HOWEVER:
A liger, resulting from a female lion and male tiger,
can't reproduce with other ligers, but it CAN reproduce with members of one of the parent species. Get it?
Even if neanderthals and humans where different species, they may still have been able to smuggle a few genes back into the human gene pool.
Which does not mean it happened per se.