To: Burkeman1
Homo Sapiens and Homo Neanderthalensis both sprang from the earlier Homo Erectus. There is really little evidence that Neanderthals and humans ever interbred, and even that is controversial. DNA analysis indicates the prospect of such a breeding to be nil. They may have been about as closely related to us as donkeys are to horses.
The most interesting thing to come out in recent years (at least to my lights) is that Homo Erectus may possibly have survived up until about 50k years ago. This means that at one time there were three human species sharing the planet at the same time.
62 posted on
12/02/2003 4:07:11 PM PST by
Junior
(Pergamentum init, exit pergamentum)
To: Junior
That is very interesting. I had not heard that! Three at once! Just spit balling here but is it possible that ancient Europeon myths about "goblins" and other man like beasts can be linked to perhaps pockets of Neanderthals or Homo Erectus that survied in isolated areas up until 6 or 7 thousand years ago? Such fossils would most likely never be found as there were too few of them that at such a time?
To: Junior
70 posted on
12/02/2003 4:33:00 PM PST by
blam
To: Junior; Burkeman1
This is a long and fascinating read on Neanderthals...JimRob won't let me post it on FR...never said why.
The Neanderthal Theory
74 posted on
12/02/2003 4:39:12 PM PST by
blam
To: Junior
85 posted on
12/02/2003 5:09:14 PM PST by
blam
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