The extinction of Neanderthals is a big mystery. Scientists think many things could have caused it. These include climate change and conflicts with modern humans.
Some experts wonder if Neanderthals didn’t have enough genetic variety to survive. A new study supports this idea. It suggests a big drop in their genetic diversity happened before they disappeared.
Researchers used ear canal shapes and Neanderthal genetics to find clues. They found signs of less genetic variety about 100,000 years ago.
By comparing the ear shapes of Neanderthals and modern humans from different areas, they learned about differences in human types. The study focused on fossils from places like Croatia and France.
It seems something caused a big drop in their population before they went extinct around 40,000 years ago. This study does not explain why this happened, but factors like climate change and competition could be reasons.
The researchers want to look at more fossils to learn more about Neanderthals. Their findings are published in the journal Nature Communications.
Vocabulary List:
- Extinction /ɪkˈstɪŋkʃən/ (noun): The state or process of a species family or larger group being or becoming extinct.
- Diversity /daɪˈvɜːrsɪti/ (noun): The state of being diverse; variety.
- Genetic /dʒəˈnɛtɪk/ (adjective): Relating to genes or heredity.
- Comparison /kəmˈpærɪsən/ (noun): The act of comparing; the state of being compared.
- Fossil /ˈfɑːsəl/ (noun): The remains or impression of a prehistoric organism preserved in petrified form or as a mold or cast in rock.
- Population /ˌpɒpjuˈleɪʃən/ (noun): All the inhabitants of a particular town area or country.
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