Insight into competitive advantage of modern humans over Neanderthals

EurekAlert! ^ | September 29, 2019 | Tohoku University

[SunkenCiv]

A team of Japanese and Italian researchers, including from Tohoku University, have evidenced mechanically delivered projectile weapons in Europe dating to 45,000-40,000 years - more than 20,000 years than previously thought. This study, entitled "The earliest evidence for mechanically delivered projectile weapons in Europe" published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, indicated that the spearthrower and bow-and-arrow technologies allowed modern humans to hunt more successfully than Neanderthals - giving them a competitive advantage. This discovery offered important insight to understand the reasons for the replacement of Neanderthals by modern humans.

Apparently, Neanderthals and modern humans coexisted in Europe for at least 5,000 years. However, little is known about why modern humans could increase their population size after migrating to Europe and successfully occupy new territories, while autochthonous Neanderthals went extinct ~ 40,000 years ago...

Furthermore, fourier transform-infrared (FTIR) spectromicroscopy of residues on several pieces demonstrate that the backed pieces were hafted using a complex adhesive, including ochre, plant gum, and beeswax, which stabilized the hafting. "Comparison with FTIR spectroscopy analyses of several red deposit and soil samples recovered from Grotta del Cavallo ruled out organic contaminants from the burial environment and confirmed the presence of ochre as a mixture of silicate and iron oxides", said Chiaramaria Stani (Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste).

[SunkenCiv]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-a64OwOYqU

[Track9]

I’m sticking with red hair, light skin and enhanced antibodies as positive genetic deviations to the basket weaving cultures.

[Bob Ireland]

***none of these is likely to be excavated now, for another 40-50 years. It took something like 30 years for the dig at Catal Huyuk to resume***

My point exactly. The Turks may be turning into ISIS re: destroying ancient artifacts and excavations. As to Catal Huyuk, I was going to refer you to http://alternativearchaeology.jigsy.com/catal-huyuk but the site no longer exists... an excellent pictorial essay. Wikipedia is good also.

Catal Huyuk is rather similar to Nevalı Çori if I recall correctly. We are moving the dates for organized agriculture back and back...

[miliantnutcase]

Well there had to of been very little difference genetically to interbreed with neanderthals. Look at how close some animal species are and they only create sterile hybrids.

[Max in Utah]

We didn’t out-compete them, we cross-bred with them until their phenotype became indistinguishable from ours.

Exactly. Compare with aboriginal Americans-- full-bloods are rather thin on the ground in the Lower 48, and it's only been 500 years since the first Europeans came ashore in Florida.

[SunkenCiv]

I was looking at this the other day; the dromedary (the one-humped camel, which we generally call the camel) and the Bactrian camel (the two-humped camel) have been successfully continually hybridized over the centuries:

https://www.google.com/search?q=camel+hybrids