Here’s a curious question: What did Neanderthals evolve from?

Scientists are apparently searching for the “missing link” between humans and Neanderthals:

Researchers use DNA evidence when they can, but when it’s not available, they rely on anatomy to note the differences between Neanderthals and H. sapiens.

Humans have a high and rounded brain case, with a small brow, a chin on the lower jaw and a slimmer bone structure, says Stringer. Neanderthals, by comparison, have a longer, lower skull, with a larger nose, brow and no chin.

“Humans have a clearly distinct skeletal shape from Neanderthals,” says Stringer. “These differences suggest that there was a separate evolution for hundreds of thousands of years.”

On the other hand, older modern human remains have a bigger brow, bulkier teeth and more robust skeletons. And the closer in age the remains are to the mystery ancestor, the difference in features is less pronounced.

Sara Novak, “What Did Neanderthals Evolve From?” at Discover Magazine (Apr 21, 2022)

Some of us would like to know why, apart from professional jealousies and corruption, there is even an issue about differences between Neanderthals and the rest of us.

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