Decoding Neanderthals: Article Analysis

Decoding Neanderthals

Neanderthals are an extinct species and a branch of the human family tree. They are considered to have been primitive, and did not have language. They lacked intelligence and were nothing compared to the humans of today. They are presented in history as undeveloped humans, but their lifestyle could have possibly been more advance than today’s humans in many ways. Most Neanderthals were dead by the age of thirty, and were trained to hunt and gather basic necessities from birth. According to the video “Decoding Neanderthals,” they were stupid looking with no personality, and lacked the brainpower that homosapiens of today have. Since they were very animal like, they would hunt for food and endure any physical encounters they had with the animal they were trying to kill. They did not have
language, so communication consisted of mostly physicality oppose to speaking. They have traditionally been viewed as primitive versions of human beings.
In regards to development, it is believed that they had exchanged genes with regular humans. They were the closest species to humans through DNA, but did not have the same level of speaking or critical thinking abilities as humans. Researchers argue that they did have some of the same critical thinking abilities, because they had to hunt and gather necessities that took at least some trace of thought. They were similar to humans in the sense that they used tools to complete physical tasks. They had some tools that included ergonomics, and were just as advanced as some of the basic living tools that are sold in stores today. “Levowa” flake was a tool that Neanderthals used to help them handle their food, along with many other tasks. A simple stone that is carved in the form of a cutting material was just as efficient for their purposes as a basic kitchen knife is in the average household. There are many cases like this that cause researchers to wonder whether Neanderthals actually had the mental ability to construct tools to help them survive or
not. Today’s humans and Neanderthals share many genes and physical characteristics, which identifies them as the same species, but different branches. They had the exact same FOXP2 gene as humans, which give them the innate ability to speak and communicate orally. Many researchers had different theories of genetic similarities of the two, and there had been tests to help analyze the similarities and differences. One project that was presented in the video was “Thousand Genome Project,” where young adults of different ethnicities were tested in comparison of eachother to how genetically close they are to Neanderthals. Findings show that Europeans and Asians are genetically closer to Neanderthals than Africans. There is one to four percent of Neanderthal DNA found in humans, which prove the point that Neanderthals did in fact interbreed with humans of the early stages. The humans of China share the least amount of DNA as Neanderthals, as they have two percent of the genes, and the humans of Tuscany share the most amount of DNA, as they have four percent of the genes. They were very similar to humans by the way they differentiated their friends from their foes. There is evidence of tools that they used for body painting to categorize themselves from enemies. Neanderthals were bred out, oppose to being hunted to extinction. The process of interaction and absorption is how Neanderthals slowly transitioned into human beings. Neanderthals had DNA in areas that were fundamental to our immune system, which is the reason why researchers say that humans owe them essentially. Early humans must have reproduced with Neanderthals, because there is no other explanation to why humans and Neanderthals share the DNA that they do. Because of their primitive instinct, humans were able to evolve into a modern version of them, and they slowly vanished from the world.