[Cowboy Bob]

If humans originated in Africa, why don’t Africans have Neanderthal DNA? Are Neanderthals not considered human?

[Red Badger]

I think the Neanderthals left Africa waay before the second major migration out of Africa, so the DNA may be too distant to show up..................

[TontoKowalski]

If humans originated in Africa, why don’t Africans have Neanderthal DNA? Are Neanderthals not considered human?

I think that as genetic investigation becomes more sophisticated, they are learning that Neandertals may not have originated in Africa.

The current theory is that Neandertal mingling with humans (or Other Humans, if you prefer) happened after the African exodus.

So, humans that remained in Africa lack Neandertal DNA, while the rest of the world has it.

That is... if I understand the theory correctly. I am happy to be educated and/or corrected by smarter Freepers.

[blam]

"If humans originated in Africa, why don’t Africans have Neanderthal DNA? Are Neanderthals not considered human?"

Neanderthals had bigger brains than did modern humans (us), bigger brains equal higher IQ.

Neanderthals, Denisovans and Human Speciation

[gleeaikin]

The earlier hominid forms had already moved out of Africa over a million years ago. Precursor hominids like Heidelberg man had evolved in Europe 500,000 years ago, and Neanderthal probably evolved from that line also in Europe and Eurasia. The have not found any Neanderthal traces in Africa.