OK, so the article says Homo Sapiens originated in Africa.
Where did Neanderthals originate? Did they originate somewhere else or are they just a different offshoot of hominids?
One theory is that Neanderthals left Africa first and spread about then the later homo sapiens followed them, eventually overtaking and outnumbering them................
“Where did Neanderthals originate?
Did they originate somewhere else or are they just a different offshoot of hominids?”
The way to think of it is, over the past millions of years, dozens of hominid species evolved in Africa, each a little smarter, a little more human - like than before.
Some of these species then migrated out of Africa, and when they met earlier species, they adapted, interbred and eventually replaced the earlier models.
Apparently, Homo-Neanderthal did not themselves leave Africa, but rather adapted/evolved in Europe from earlier species, now tentatively identified as “homo-anticesor”.
Neanderthals were in turn replaced by the latest emigrants, homo sapiens, beginning around 45,000 years ago.