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.
No, not really. It's intriguing to think about though. As I said in another thread just yesterday, it's perfectly OK by me if people want to fantasize hot sweaty cavesex between Neanderthals & Cro-Magnons, I just think it flies in the face of what evidence we have (at least as any remotely widespread phenomenon). Now, maybe the evidence will change to indicate differently, but until that happens one might only offer contrarian conjecture while the evidence points elsewhere.
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.
I agree that's a very intriguing question!