No criticism at all on my part. You can get conflicting numbers and opinions wherever you go. I just wanted to make a point that Neanderthal is awfully close to us if not archaic humans rather than distinct species. It’s a really contentious field just now. Chimps are close to us but a separate line of development.
I agree with you. I consider Neanderthals to have been fully human, albeit not modern humans.Put one in modern dress and he/she would not appear any weirder than what one can see at Walmart. That's not to denigrate Walmart. Walmart just gets a broad crosss-section of humanity.