GE CLST M71CW Lecture 3: Notes for the NOVA documentary on the controversy around Neanderthals

• School: UCLA
• Department: General Education Clusters
• Course: GE CLST M71CW
• Professor: Rensel, M.A.; Le Goff, A.G.; Panofsky, A.L.

Document Summary

Mitochondrial dna does provide a record of ancestry and is derived only for the mother. People from all around the world usually differ from 8 mutations. But neanderthals differ from modern humans in over 20. Neanderthals occupied europe and were eventually replaced by homo sapiens. Some scientists say that neanderthals and homo sapiens did not interbreed because it simply was not possible. There are considerable physical differences between neanderthals and homo sapiens. Archaeological record shows that tools for anatomically modern humans were of new kinds, materials and incorporated the arts. Other perspectives: some scientists believe that neanderthals and homo sapiens are not all that different. Evidence: construction site> bits of charcoal, bones from butchered animals and tools. A skeleton of a child with neanderthal features as found: it died 25,000 ago, 30000 years after the last neanderthals disappeared from europe. Its leg bone was rather short just like neanderthals" leg bones.