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The Extinction Of The Neanderthals

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The question of the coexistence and the potential interaction between the last Neanderthal and the earliest intrusive populations of anatomically modern humans in Europe has been a topic of debate. The extinction of the Neanderthals occurred during the latter part of the last glaciation which was characterized by a rapidly changing climate, cold conditions and corresponding vegetation and faunal turnover. However, it coincided with the expansion of modern humans out of Africa during the Late Pleistocene. Thus, it has been an ongoing debate on whether the extinction of the Neanderthals was due to competition with anatomically modern humans or due to climate change. It is argued that the inability for the Neanderthals to adapt to climate …show more content…

The Neanderthals’ survival methods were being compromised by the changing environment as they were not equipped with the right physique or technology to survive in plain-dominated environments. The change in climate also helped to boost the expansion of anatomically modern humans. Eriksson A., et al (2012) used a model that quantified the effects of past climate change on demography of modern humans takes into consideration past demographic events and estimated the effect of climate on atomically modern humans (Eriksson A., et al, 2012). The model shows a positive relationship between climate and the expansion of modern humans. Humans were equipped with technology that were favored after the environment changed to a plain-dominated one and thus this change in environment offered opportunities for human ambush hunters (Finlayson, 2004). They were able to travel longer distances and shoot further, which gave them a greater advantage when it comes to attacking these plain mammals (Markova A.K, et al, 2002). This relationship between climate change and anatomically modern humans further restrains the Neanderthals. The Neanderthals are not only less efficient in sourcing for food due to their inability to adapt their methods to the changing environment, but are also faced with resource competition from the modern humans. It is widely acknowledged that the body form of the Neanderthals indicates that they were biologically adapted for the cold. However, this

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