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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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To: Darksheare
21
posted on
03/04/2013 11:48:52 AM PST
by
Dead Corpse
(I will not comply.)
To: a fool in paradise
They could have used the holy hand grenade of Antioch.
To: Bloody Sam Roberts
Missed it by less than a minute.
23
posted on
03/04/2013 11:52:42 AM PST
by
Sawdring
To: BenLurkin
And Who Ya Gonna Call!
To: EQAndyBuzz
“Humans may have eaten more rabbits than Neanderthals” >>Wonder what a Neanderthal tastes like.
If there had been Neanderthals in Indonesia when Barack was growing up, he'd know.
To: Dead Corpse
26
posted on
03/04/2013 11:57:12 AM PST
by
Darksheare
(Try my coffee, first one's free.....)
To: BenLurkin
And thus the story of the Eater Bunny was born.
27
posted on
03/04/2013 11:58:43 AM PST
by
count-your-change
(you don't have to be brilliant, not being stupid is enough)
To: BenLurkin
so much for vegan-ism...
28
posted on
03/04/2013 11:59:01 AM PST
by
Chode
(Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
To: Darksheare
29
posted on
03/04/2013 11:59:47 AM PST
by
BenLurkin
(This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)
To: eCSMaster
Well played sir. Well played indeed!
30
posted on
03/04/2013 12:01:22 PM PST
by
Puppage
(You may disagree with what I have to say, but I shall defend to your death my right to say it)
To: BenLurkin
I seem to recall some nut who is writing a story about killer rabbits...
31
posted on
03/04/2013 12:02:23 PM PST
by
Darksheare
(Try my coffee, first one's free.....)
To: eCSMaster; dmz
32
posted on
03/04/2013 12:02:57 PM PST
by
BenLurkin
(This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)
To: a fool in paradise
33
posted on
03/04/2013 12:04:40 PM PST
by
BenLurkin
(This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)
To: Chode
34
posted on
03/04/2013 12:08:24 PM PST
by
Doogle
(USAF.68-73..8th TFW Ubon Thailand..never store a threat you should have eliminated))
To: BenLurkin
My research shows that Neanderthrals failed to consult with Hefner!
Catching Bunnies is simple!
35
posted on
03/04/2013 12:08:32 PM PST
by
Young Werther
(Julius Caesar said "Quae cum ita sunt. Since these things are so.".)
To: count-your-change
Eater Bunny? OK ...
36
posted on
03/04/2013 12:09:25 PM PST
by
Fast Moving Angel
(A moral wrong is not a civil right: No religious sanction of an irreligious act.)
To: count-your-change
37
posted on
03/04/2013 12:11:39 PM PST
by
Jonah Vark
(Any 5th grader knows that the Constitution declares the separation of powers.)
To: Doogle
LOL...
38
posted on
03/04/2013 12:14:02 PM PST
by
Chode
(Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
To: BenLurkin
looks like she just shot a hole through her ear...
39
posted on
03/04/2013 12:15:45 PM PST
by
Chode
(Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
To: Chode
40
posted on
03/04/2013 12:22:00 PM PST
by
BenLurkin
(This is not a statement of fact. It is either opinion or satire; or both)
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