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 ...
Kinda makes a good argument against taking any drastic, draconian, economic action vis a vis Global Warming.
Consensus Science: the scientific "method" of the twentyfirst century!
I am thinking Bush is causing Universal warming.
Bush's fault. </sarcasm off>
FYI, the majority of people who believe that the world was created by a Superior Being do NOT believe the earth is only 6000 years old. (That's an Atheist perpetuated myth.)
lol. Would you believe they are Politically Correct Neanderthals?
Thanks! This topic may have appeared on FR before (pretty sure it has, one of Blam's) but will add it to the GGG catalog, and post any applicable links.
NY Times Headline, 50,000 B.C.
"Ice Age Coming...Neanderthals, Minorities and Women to Suffer Most!"
The neanderthal's leaders wouldn't issue a state of emergency, refused to accept help from the Gravettians, and let the busses stay where they were.
Big Chill Killed Off The Neanderthals
New Scientist | 1-21-2004 | Douglas Palmer
Posted on 01/21/2004 3:26:51 PM PST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1062478/posts
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Big Chill Killed Off The Neanderthals |
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Posted by blam On News/Activism 01/21/2004 6:26:51 PM EST · 102 replies · 826+ views New Scientist | 1-21-2004 | Douglas Palmer Big chill killed off the Neanderthals 19:00 21 January 04 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... |
Big Chill Killed Off The Neanderthals
New Scientist | 1-21-2004 | Douglas Palmer
Posted on 01/21/2004 6:26:51 PM EST by blam
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1062478/posts
If they were driving SUVs, theis would have never happen and the creatives for GEICO insurance would have had to go back to the drawing board.
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