Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

To: mewzilla
A sub-species is correct, Homo neanderthalensis vs Homo sapiens. The evidence for interbreeding is not totally absent, for instance

"The fact that neanderthals disappear in Europe, about the same time as modern Homo sapiens appear, could be used as evidence to support the replacement hypothesis. However, not all the evidence, however, supports the Replacement Hypothesis in Europe. In 1998 at the Lagar Velho site in Portugal, the remains of a child, aged 3-1/2 to 5 years was found that apparently shows a "mixing" of Neanderthal and Modern human traits. The skull of this specimen has a pronounced chin, which is a hallmark of modern homo, however, post-cranially, the boy's bones were quite robust, and he was barrel chested and had short lower limbs, all of which are cold adaptations which characterized Neanderthal. "From here.

If we did not, in fact, interbreed with them, it might have been a chromosomal incompatability (the evidence is the last common ancestor we shared with them lived between 500,000 and 850,000 years ago) or an anatomic issue.

35 posted on 02/26/2006 5:31:56 AM PST by Pharmboy (The stone age didn't end because they ran out of stones.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies ]


To: Pharmboy

It's worth noting that the Lagar Velho fossil and what it signifies has been the subject of acrimonious scientific debate.


38 posted on 02/26/2006 5:38:08 AM PST by AntiGuv
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies ]

To: Pharmboy

The Lagar Velho child has subsequently proven to be a modern human child not a hybrid.


56 posted on 02/26/2006 6:20:11 AM PST by Varda
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies ]

To: Pharmboy

The Neanderthal Theory

Modern Human Neanderthal Hybrid

102 posted on 02/26/2006 7:45:21 AM PST by blam
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 35 | View Replies ]

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article


FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson