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Big chill killed off the Neanderthals
New Scientist ^ | 24 January 2004 | Douglas Palmer

Posted on 09/21/2005 12:22:31 PM PDT by george76

IT IS possibly the longest-running murder mystery of them all. What, or even who, killed humankind's nearest relatives, the Neanderthals who once roamed Europe before dying out almost 30,000 years ago?

Suspects have ranged from the climate to humans themselves, and the mystery has deeply divided experts. Now 30 scientists have come together to publish the most definitive answer yet to this enigma. They say Neanderthals simply did not have the technological know-how to survive the increasingly harsh winters. And intriguingly, rather than being Neanderthal killers, the original human settlers of Europe almost suffered the same fate.

Ice cores recovered from Greenland in the 1970s show that Europe's climate varied hugely during the last ice age, especially in the period between 70,000 and 20,000 years ago. Cold glacial periods were punctuated by warmer times, and the average temperature could rise and fall several degrees within a decade or so.

The maps also reveal that the earliest modern humans, the Aurignacian people, who appeared around 40,000 years ago, could not cope with the glacial cold either. They retreated south until 25,000 years ago when they were reduced to a few refuges, such as southwest France and the shores of the Black Sea.

The Gravettians appeared in eastern Europe 29,000 to 30,000 years ago complete with flash new tools, such as javelin-like throwing spears and fishing nets, which allowed them to catch a greater range of prey.

They also had clothing to keep the cold out, such as sewn furs and woven textiles, and possibly more specialised social structures. Their ability to tough out the colder climes dominating Europe 18,000 to 25,000 years ago revitalised the human population.

The Neanderthals, however, without either new blood or new technology, found it impossible to survive and died out, probably around 28,000 years ago.

(Excerpt) Read more at newscientist.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: g75; globalcooling; globalwarming; godsgravesglyphs; history; multiregionalism; neandertal; neandertals; neanderthal; neanderthals
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1 posted on 09/21/2005 12:22:32 PM PDT by george76
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To: george76

We are not gone. We went underground.


2 posted on 09/21/2005 12:23:26 PM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (Ponce de Leon is coming here to look for the fountain of dumb. DC is his first stop.)
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To: Conspiracy Guy
I think Neanderthals are alive and well.

See?

3 posted on 09/21/2005 12:25:58 PM PDT by Maceman (Pro Se Defendant from Hell)
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To: george76
the average temperature could rise and fall several degrees within a decade or so.

So when Arianna was talking about those dang Neanderthals and their SUVs, THIS is what she meant?

4 posted on 09/21/2005 12:26:11 PM PDT by Izzy Dunne (Hello, I'm a TAGLINE virus. Please help me spread by copying me into YOUR tag line.)
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Comment #5 Removed by Moderator

To: george76
Hmmmm. So are you saying that redheads are not the descendants of neantherdals?

After having had so many drinks thrown in my face, I had quite a bit invested in that theory.

6 posted on 09/21/2005 12:30:20 PM PDT by SirJohnBarleycorn
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To: george76

Bush's fault.


7 posted on 09/21/2005 12:30:50 PM PDT by Brilliant
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To: Conspiracy Guy
Until recently, these people were people. Now they seem to be classified as upperclass apes.

I must have missed the day in school where they weren't humans anymore.

8 posted on 09/21/2005 12:31:06 PM PDT by Protagoras (Gouge the gougers! Embrace a state controlled economy.)
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To: george76

All the victims were Neanderthals. Seems like racism.


9 posted on 09/21/2005 12:31:43 PM PDT by Brilliant
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To: Maceman
Those not Neanderthals. We conservative. Believe no government good government. Those be chimpanzee sub species.
10 posted on 09/21/2005 12:32:03 PM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (Ponce de Leon is coming here to look for the fountain of dumb. DC is his first stop.)
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To: george76
... Cold glacial periods were punctuated by warmer times ...

Global Warming. Bush's fault.

11 posted on 09/21/2005 12:32:52 PM PDT by poindexters brother
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To: george76; SunkenCiv

ping


12 posted on 09/21/2005 12:32:57 PM PDT by Chani (If it isn't in Texas, you probably don't need it.)
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To: Protagoras

Scientists keep changing their minds.


13 posted on 09/21/2005 12:33:09 PM PDT by mlc9852
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To: george76

From reading this one would think that maybe the Earth's climate has varied throughout history, even before Jan 20, 2001 when President Bush was inaugurated.


14 posted on 09/21/2005 12:33:20 PM PDT by RobFromGa (Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran-- what are we waiting for?)
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To: Protagoras

History gets rewritten often.


15 posted on 09/21/2005 12:33:47 PM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (Ponce de Leon is coming here to look for the fountain of dumb. DC is his first stop.)
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To: TonyRo76

I know the movie sucked, but this is a bit much!


16 posted on 09/21/2005 12:34:04 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (Now that taglines are cool, I refuse to have one.)
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To: george76

Freon farts.


17 posted on 09/21/2005 12:34:26 PM PDT by cripplecreek (Never a minigun handy when you need one.)
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To: Izzy Dunne
the average temperature could rise and fall several degrees within a decade or so.

Maybe it was because they didn't sign the Kyoto Protocol. Cripes, they didn't even read or write.

Or it could be all the greenhouse gas produced by them giant vegetable eating mammals. They died out and the climate leveled out. Cause and effect. Now that's science!

18 posted on 09/21/2005 12:34:44 PM PDT by siunevada
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To: george76
They retreated south until 25,000 years ago when they were reduced to a few refuges

Did we not see an article recently about early humans in America about 40,000 years ago? Something does not add up.

19 posted on 09/21/2005 12:35:40 PM PDT by mvonfr
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To: mvonfr

Don't use logic, it is very unscientific.


20 posted on 09/21/2005 12:36:46 PM PDT by Conspiracy Guy (Ponce de Leon is coming here to look for the fountain of dumb. DC is his first stop.)
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