When most people think of Neanderthals, they picture a classic caveman caricature — brutish and backward, a relic of the distant past. But this image doesn’t tell the whole story.
These Ice Age inhabitants of Europe and parts of Asia were skilled hunters, toolmakers, and caregivers. And their legacy persists — not just in the archaeological record, but in our very genes.
Some modern-day people have 2 percent Neanderthal DNA, according to Prof. Chris Stringer, a leading human evolution researcher at the British Natural History Museum.
Over the past century and a half, fossil discoveries have helped rewrite the story of Neanderthals, revealing them not just as survivors but a species with social bonds, adaptability, and ingenuity. These are some of the most famous finds that have transformed our understanding of these ancient relatives.
