Once they came blinking into the world, Neanderthal babies would have been extraordinarily like ours. Their developmental milestones were almost identical, going from helpless curled-up creatures to rambunctious toddlers within a year. They would have looked just as cute too, a vital feature ensuring parental affection over their similarly extended childhoods. Much is made of whether they grew faster or not, but in comparison to other primates, the difference is negligible and youngsters would’ve been totally dependent for many years.
