[Ahban]

Ed,

There is a 70K gap between the end of our previous subspecies and the beginning our our current one, and that 130K is being very generous. The evidence of our subspecies goes back about 40-50K.

How can that 70K gap exist if we are the descendents of the previous species? We aren't from Neandertals, right?

[stands2reason]

We aren't from Neandertals, right?

I don't think so. I believe we killed them off.

[edwin hubble]

"How can that 70K gap exist if we are the descendents of the previous species? We aren't from Neandertals, right?"

We (Homo sapiens sapiens, modern man) are believed to have come from a separate line coming out of Africa about 70,000 years after Neanderthal appeared in Europe.

Then, it is believed, we co-existed uneasily without inter-breeding with Neanderthal for about 100,000 years and gradually displaced them. They are very distant cousins, but not ancestors.

In any event, 250,000 to 300,000 years ago moves back the earliest intentional fire-making.