Neanderthals are a sister species to modern humans that first appeared around half a million years ago. Unlike humans, which began their evolution in Africa, Neanderthals were a European species that evolved to live in colder climates. They thrived for around 400,000 years before mysteriously disappearing, no longer found in the fossil record.
Experts have long thought that both Neanderthals and modern humans evolved from the species known as Homo heidelbergensis, but now there’s disagreement among researchers. While some still think this to be true, others aren’t so sure.
According to Chris Stringer, a paleoanthropologist at the London Natural History Museum, some of the H. heidelbergensis fossils we have aren’t old enough to be a common ancestor. But in any case, most researchers agree that the two species split from a common ancestor around 600,000 years ago.
Just as we were evolving in Africa, says Stringer, Neanderthals were evolving in ...
