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Bunnies implicated in the demise of Neanderthals
new scientist ^ | 18:10 01 March 2013 by | Sara Reardon

Posted on 03/04/2013 11:15:00 AM PST by BenLurkin

Now, John Fa of the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust in Trinity, Jersey, says Neanderthals eventually bit the dust because they were unable to adapt their hunting to small animals like rabbits.

Fa and his colleagues counted up the skeletons of animals found in three excavation sites in Spain and southern France. Up until 30,000 years ago, the remains of large animals such as deer were abundant in caves. But around that time, coinciding with the disappearance of Neanderthals, rabbit remains became more prevalent. The authors postulate that humans were more successful at switching to catching and eating rabbits.

It's not clear why Neanderthals would have had more trouble changing prey, says Fa. They may have been less able to cooperate. Rather than using spears, early humans probably surrounded a warren and flushed out rabbits with fire, smoke or dogs. But Bruce Hardy of Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, says Fa takes the interpretation too far. Humans may have eaten more rabbits than Neanderthals, but neither would have exclusively eaten meat, he says.

The question might be settled by what Fa says is his next project: studying the isotopes in the bones of hominins from this region, which may differ according to what they ate.

(Excerpt) Read more at newscientist.com ...


TOPICS: History; Science; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: agriculture; animalhusbandry; godsgravesglyphs; helixmakemineadouble; jersey; johnfa; neandertal; neandertals; neanderthal; neanderthals; trinity
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1 posted on 03/04/2013 11:15:04 AM PST by BenLurkin
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To: BenLurkin

2 posted on 03/04/2013 11:21:47 AM PST by Adams (Fight on!)
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To: BenLurkin; sionnsar; abigailsmybaby; A CA Guy; airborne; Aloysius88; Altariel; Americanwolf; ...

No comment from me ping.


3 posted on 03/04/2013 11:22:10 AM PST by Darksheare (Try my coffee, first one's free.....)
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To: BenLurkin

4 posted on 03/04/2013 11:22:42 AM PST by Bloody Sam Roberts (Here once the embattled farmers stood... And fired the shot heard round the world.)
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To: BenLurkin
does anyone have the "Killer bunny skit" from Monty Python's Holy Grail

5 posted on 03/04/2013 11:22:48 AM PST by skinkinthegrass (who'll take tomorrow,$pend it all today;who can take your income,tax it all away..0'Blowfly can :-)
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To: BenLurkin
Neanderthal rabbits were considerably more hearty than their modern day cousins.


6 posted on 03/04/2013 11:23:56 AM PST by KarlInOhio (Choose one: the yellow and black flag of the Tea Party or the white flag of the Republican Party.)
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To: BenLurkin
Monty Python-Killer Rabbit - YouTube
www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmu5sRIizdw

7 posted on 03/04/2013 11:25:52 AM PST by skinkinthegrass (who'll take tomorrow,$pend it all today;who can take your income,tax it all away..0'Blowfly can :-)
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To: BenLurkin; SunkenCiv
thanks, for the post.
science ping!

8 posted on 03/04/2013 11:28:11 AM PST by skinkinthegrass (who'll take tomorrow,$pend it all today;who can take your income,tax it all away..0'Blowfly can :-)
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To: BenLurkin; Slings and Arrows

9 posted on 03/04/2013 11:29:15 AM PST by a fool in paradise (America 2013 - STUCK ON STUPID)
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To: Revolting cat!

10 posted on 03/04/2013 11:32:51 AM PST by a fool in paradise (America 2013 - STUCK ON STUPID)
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To: a fool in paradise

“Humans may have eaten more rabbits than Neanderthals”

Wonder what a Neanderthal tastes like.


11 posted on 03/04/2013 11:35:45 AM PST by EQAndyBuzz (Got a problem? Nothing a drone strike can't fix.)
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To: a fool in paradise

Them bunnies be some vicisous bastards they are.


12 posted on 03/04/2013 11:37:08 AM PST by Gaffer
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To: skinkinthegrass

13 posted on 03/04/2013 11:37:45 AM PST by Puppage (You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it)
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To: a fool in paradise

I *warned* you, but did you listen to me? Oh, no, you *knew*, didn’t you? Oh, it’s just a harmless little *bunny*, isn’t it?


14 posted on 03/04/2013 11:38:04 AM PST by dfwgator
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To: BenLurkin

Run away! Run away!


15 posted on 03/04/2013 11:39:18 AM PST by RPTMS
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To: BenLurkin

Ancestors of Jimmah Carter?


16 posted on 03/04/2013 11:40:33 AM PST by bgill
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To: Puppage

Bunnies

17 posted on 03/04/2013 11:43:55 AM PST by FroggyTheGremlim (Palin was correct!)
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To: BenLurkin

Thus endeth the great “Duck season!/ Wabbit season!” debate.


18 posted on 03/04/2013 11:45:29 AM PST by gundog (Help us, Nairobi-Wan Kenobi...you're our only hope.)
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To: BenLurkin

And if you go chasing rabbits
And you know you’re going to fall


19 posted on 03/04/2013 11:47:37 AM PST by OKRA2012
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To: BenLurkin

Too busy looking at the centerfolds to hunt and gather?


20 posted on 03/04/2013 11:48:52 AM PST by dmz
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