Decoding Neanderthals – NOVA – Reflections
Daniel Murphy
BIOL 1090-003
Salt Lake Community College
Capable of bench-pressing 300-400 pounds, actively hunting creatures weighing multiple tons, armed only with spears, it may be easy to assume that Neanderthals were nothing other than effective muscle-bound bipedal animals. This was reinforced by one of the early discovered remains of a Neanderthal, unbeknownst at the time, suffering from severe arthritis. In contrast, however, the caricature of a lumbering, hunched over, prototypical cave-man brute was effectively refuted in this video. What was revealed, instead, was a race where, despite largely dying off before what we would now consider “middle age”, they were significantly evolved, on both physical and mental capacities. Whether through the meticulous crafting of their tools, or having invented the oldest known synthetic material, this provides Neanderthals with a hallmark of being an advanced and intelligent species at that time during the evolutionary process.
The aspect that surprised me most, despite all the other revealing factors, was the evidence that established that Neanderthals and Humans could interbreed and have fertile children. This not only contradicts multiple theories regarding the interaction between Neanderthals and Humans, but also shows an incredible genetic similarity for this to occur. This was the first instance in which I have witnessed this theory to be postulated and subsequently confirmed. Expounding beyond the genetic similarities between Neanderthals and Humans were the apparent exercises in which they also participated in ritualistic behaviors. Given the complexity, effort, time, and cognitive thought that are required to engage in such rituals, it highlights a significant mental capacity, imagination, and thought formulation skills. Beyond this, the evidence that shows that, in addition to ritualistic behaviors, Neanderthals also created basic materials, such as pigment paint for adornment and identifying properties, utilizing animal trophies (panther paws, bird of prey feathers, etc.). This highlights a higher corollary with Human-like behavior than previously thought.
The conclusion that virtually every modern Human contains a significant portion of Neanderthal DNA (2-4%, where as Humans and chimpanzees share 96% genetic similarities), was absolutely revelatory to me. The concept that Neanderthals did not simply go extinct due to increased competition, incidental pogrom, or otherwise circumstantial dying off as opposed to being slowly assimilated, through thousands of years of interbreeding, requires us, as humans, to rethink our origins of who we are and how we got here.
Works cited:
Daniel Murphy
BIOL 1090-003
Salt Lake Community College
Capable of bench-pressing 300-400 pounds, actively hunting creatures weighing multiple tons, armed only with spears, it may be easy to assume that Neanderthals were nothing other than effective muscle-bound bipedal animals. This was reinforced by one of the early discovered remains of a Neanderthal, unbeknownst at the time, suffering from severe arthritis. In contrast, however, the caricature of a lumbering, hunched over, prototypical cave-man brute was effectively refuted in this video. What was revealed, instead, was a race where, despite largely dying off before what we would now consider “middle age”, they were significantly evolved, on both physical and mental capacities. Whether through the meticulous crafting of their tools, or having invented the oldest known synthetic material, this provides Neanderthals with a hallmark of being an advanced and intelligent species at that time during the evolutionary process.
The aspect that surprised me most, despite all the other revealing factors, was the evidence that established that Neanderthals and Humans could interbreed and have fertile children. This not only contradicts multiple theories regarding the interaction between Neanderthals and Humans, but also shows an incredible genetic similarity for this to occur. This was the first instance in which I have witnessed this theory to be postulated and subsequently confirmed. Expounding beyond the genetic similarities between Neanderthals and Humans were the apparent exercises in which they also participated in ritualistic behaviors. Given the complexity, effort, time, and cognitive thought that are required to engage in such rituals, it highlights a significant mental capacity, imagination, and thought formulation skills. Beyond this, the evidence that shows that, in addition to ritualistic behaviors, Neanderthals also created basic materials, such as pigment paint for adornment and identifying properties, utilizing animal trophies (panther paws, bird of prey feathers, etc.). This highlights a higher corollary with Human-like behavior than previously thought.
The conclusion that virtually every modern Human contains a significant portion of Neanderthal DNA (2-4%, where as Humans and chimpanzees share 96% genetic similarities), was absolutely revelatory to me. The concept that Neanderthals did not simply go extinct due to increased competition, incidental pogrom, or otherwise circumstantial dying off as opposed to being slowly assimilated, through thousands of years of interbreeding, requires us, as humans, to rethink our origins of who we are and how we got here.
Works cited:
- NOVA, Decoding Neanderthals - http://video.pbs.org/video/2323758207
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