[null and void]

“Although Neanderthals, at first sight so similar to modern humans, were once placed on the last rung before mankind, fossil DNA hints that they may not even be on the same ladder. Their mitrochondrial genes are quite distinct from our own. They were not the ancestors of human genes but followed a separate path. For mitrochondria at least, Neanderthals and ourselves split half a million years ago.”

Mitochondrial DNA is only passed on by mothers.

Nothing saying a neanderthal couldn't be someone's babydaddy...

[OldNavyVet]

You're right, but .. from wikipedia ... we have ...

The DNA sequence of mtDNA has been determined from a large number of organisms and individuals (including some organisms that are extinct), and the comparison of those DNA sequences represents a mainstay of phylogenetics, in that it allows biologists to elucidate the evolutionary relationships among species. It also permits an examination of the relatedness of populations, and so has become important in anthropology and field biology.

Steve Jones's words are .. "For mitrochondria at least, Neanderthals and ourselves split half a million years ago.”

I guess that means that we're about 500,000 years away from a female Neanderthal grandmother link.