[blam]

"There's a very good book out there called Extinct Humans about the evolution of our species."

I read this book and thought it was okay. It pointed out that different species of humans were living at the same time. I just don't think the Neanderthals were different species.

[TKEman]

That's currently the great debate. I personally come down of the side that they were just different enough from us that reproduction was impossible, no matter how hard some of the guys tried. If that's the case, then it would more or less be a final nail in the coffin in regards as to whether or not we are the same species.

I tend to agree with the line of thinking that just because species might look alike, reproduction might not be possible. I think if reproduction was possible, then it would surely be reflected in the current situation.

Unless the Neanderthals weren't that thick of the ground. Which is an interesting debate in and of itself. Just how many were they?

Another debate along these lines is the strength of the influence of the original human population in Southeast Asia. That human population resembled the aboriginal population of New Guinea and Australia. It was hunter gatherer, and replaced by farmers. Not that thick on the ground. The debate is how much genetic influence they have on the current population in Southeast Asia. Some say they were swamped, and so it's not much.....