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TotalWarspammer t1_ixmjvy0 wrote

Reply to comment by kocf1945 in Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers used culinary seasoning in food preparation, according to analysis of the oldest charred food remains ever found by marketrent

I read that in the end humans as we know them now were just more resourceful and more competitive and Neanderthal numbers slowly dwindled to unsustainable pockets of populations... although of course they did mate with us and pass on some DNA!

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surle t1_ixmnabx wrote

As far as I understand (not an expert) the "out competed by homo sapiens" theory is just the most likely logical explanation everyone goes along with for the convenience of having a sensible premise and is not something that has been strongly supported with evidence. It's quite possible some fascinating discovery just around the corner of another site like this one could provide the solid bit of evidence needed to properly strengthen that theory, or turn it on its head. All the more reason to support organisations that fund such research, and probably another good reason to oppose the idea of dropping a lot of bombs everywhere.

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TotalWarspammer t1_ixmv111 wrote

Of course it's not "just convenience" that scientists think that. What else would you think would cause the species to go completely extinct? There is no evidence that they was a disease specific to Neanderthals or that they were hunted by other men. The evidence suggests the dwindled gradually into smaller groups and then finally faded away. They were not as adaptable or as resourceful as we were.

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