Embracing Our Inner Neanderthal: What It Means to Be Part Ancient Human
- Liliana Kotval
- Mar 2
- 3 min read
Updated: Mar 14
Many of us have Neanderthal DNA in our genomes- what does it tell us about our pasts?
By. Liliana Kotval
Did you know you are part Neanderthal? We are much more similar to our closest evolutionary ancestors, the Neanderthals, than we may think. Seemingly barbaric humans, the behavior and genome of Neanderthals draw parallels to our very own, as well as to the shaping of the Homo sapiens species.
The Neanderthals lived between 140,000 and 35,000 years ago, following their ancestor Homo heidelbergensis. Their scientific name, Homo neanderthalensis, was named after the Feldhofer Cave of the Neander Valley in Germany where early Neanderthal fossils were discovered in 1856 by geologist William King. Neanderthals roamed mostly Europe, however fossils have been found as far as in modern day Siberia and Iran.
Neanderthals were shorter (on average around 150 cm tall), stouter, more muscular, and much stronger than we are. They had noticeably smaller chins, bigger teeth, wider noses, arched brow ridges, and low, long skulls. The anatomy of shorter, wider bodies is an adaptational advantage for those living in colder climates, since the reduction of body surface area results in more efficient body heat conservation. When the Neanderthals roamed the Earth thousands of years ago, there were large climate shifts between glacial and interglacial conditions, meaning they had to endure much colder temperatures than we do today.
We have 1-4% Neanderthal DNA in our genomes.
Studying the Neanderthal genome has revealed that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens share a common ancestor, Homo heidelbergensis, who lived 550,000 years ago. Homo heidelbergensis gave rise to at least three different types of human lineages- Homo sapiens in Africa, Neanderthals in Europe and West Asia, and Denisovans in Asia.
Most likely, Neanderthals did not die out, but rather interbred with Homo sapiens and eventually assimilated into modern human populations. Homo sapiens began to leave Africa around 60,000 years ago and migrated into Europe. Interbreeding between Homo sapiens and Neanderthals took place around 50,000 years ago, and today, us Homo sapiens have 1-4% of Neanderthal DNA in our genomes. Those of European, Asian, and indigenous American populations have the highest concentration of Neanderthal DNA due to breeding locations. There is no evidence that Neanderthals ever lived in Africa. Numerous studies on Neanderthal DNA have discovered a gene for red hair and fair skin, the FOXP2 gene for speech and language, as well as the gene for type O blood.
Although with noticeable anatomical differences, the Neanderthals were as cognitively complex as we are- they hunted, built tools, wore decorated clothing, buried their dead, and even worshiped, in some way, those that passed. They made fire, made cave art with red pigment, and created jewelry. They had a complex culture and lived in small groups.
From now on, don´t consider Neanderthals to be mere distant hominid ancestors, but predecessors who shared many characteristics and behavioral traits with us. Our DNA speaks for itself and holds the truth to our long and complex evolution through millennia.
References:
Cooke, Emily. "What´s the Difference Between Neanderthals and Homo sapiens?". Live Science. 17.05.2024. https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/whats-the-difference-between-neanderthals-and-homo-sapiens
Dorey, Fran. "Homo neanderthalensis- The Neanderthals". Australian Museum. 28.06.2021. https://australian.museum/learn/science/human-evolution/homo-neanderthalensis/#:~:text=Evidence%20shows%20that%20Neanderthals%20had,lived%20at%20the%20same%20time.
Rodríguez-Hidalgo, Antonio. "The Twilight of the Neanderthals". National Geographic History. January/February 2025. (22-37).
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