Earth & Conservation

A lot of our prejudices about neanderthals come from our somewhat mistaken interpretation of the fossil record.

How Did Science Get Neanderthals So Wrong?

Stephane de Sakutin/AFP/Getty Images

Since the brain is made of soft tissue, it starts to decompose just minutes after death due to autolysis, or self-digestion, which usually begins in the brain and liver.

Brain Reconstructions Suggest Reasons for the Decline of Neanderthals

José A. Peñas/SINC

Space & Innovation

Some distant objects in our solar system bear the gravitational imprint of a small star's close flyby 70,000 years ago, when modern humans were already walking the Earth, a new study suggests.

A Star Grazed Our Solar System When Neanderthals and Modern Humans Shared the Earth

Xavier ROSSI/Gamma-Rapho via Getty Images

Archaeology

People today of Native American, European, Asian, and North African heritage have Neanderthal DNA in their genomes, with percentages estimated between 1-4 percent.

A New Batch of Neanderthal Genome Provides Insights Into Their Complex History

P. Saura

The red and black paintings are primitive yet unmistakable: animals, human hands, linear signs, dots, and club shapes.

Neanderthals Painted the World’s Oldest Cave Art

Seeker inspires us to see the world through the lens of science and evokes a sense of curiosity, optimism and adventure.

Ancient Humans & Neanderthals Had Sex, Here's How It Changed Us Forever

Seeker inspires us to see the world through the lens of science and evokes a sense of curiosity, optimism and adventure.

Behavior

Now new research finds that Neanderthals are even more with us than previously suspected.

Neanderthal DNA Influences the Looks and Behavior of Modern Humans

New research on the related individuals, however, began with different, yet no less important, questions: How was Neanderthal physiological development different from that of modern humans, and how and why did Neanderthals evolve such big brains?

Neanderthal Boy Found in Spanish Cave Was Human-Like, but With a Larger Brain

Neanderthals — early members of the genus Homo from Europe and Asia — have had such a lowly standing on the human family tree that the very word Neanderthal is often synonymous with archaic ways and ignorance.

The First Adhesive Was Invented by Neanderthals 200,000 Years Ago

History

Around 100,000 years ago, ancient humans moved out of Africa and into the Middle East and Europe.

Around 100,000 years ago, ancient humans moved out of Africa and into the Middle East and Europe. But, another group of hominids called the Neanderthal were already there. They wanted to be where the people were, and now we are forever 'part of their world.' So to speak. We sexed them up.Today, we live with a mix of the DNA of every one of our ancestors. Luckily for us, both the human and Neanderthal genome have been sequenced. This means, we can look at the full breadth of our DNAs and find places where things match up.For many of us, that includes a few hundred Neanderthal bits as well. For example, I have 301 Neanderthal markers in my genome. They say, that's more than most! So, many of us have a little genetics from the valley of Neander, which plants a question in a lot of people's minds. Did putting some Neander-cream in our Homo sapien-coffee make things better or worse?In 2016, the first study to try and discover what genetics the Neanderthal added found some shocking results. I want to say first, a lot of this research sort of feels... icky. "Ew, we mixed the races and now we're somehow weaker!" But, that's not the case. Get 20% off <a href="http://www.domain.com" target="_blank">Domain</a> web hosting and domain names when you use coupon code SEEKER at checkout!

Neanderthals used a natural form of aspirin for pain relief, according to a recent analysis of DNA from the hardened dental plaque of our nearest extinct relatives.

Ancient Dental Plaque Reveals That Neanderthals Used 'Aspirin'

Around 130,000 years ago, a Neanderthal in what is now Croatia eyed a pretty striped chunk of limestone and picked it up.

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How Did Science Get Neanderthals So Wrong?

New neanderthal research adds to the changing image of these early hominids, and they’re not at all what we thought.

Brain Reconstructions Suggest Reasons for the Decline of Neanderthals

Computer models show that Neanderthals appear to have had a smaller cerebellum than early Homo sapiens.

A Star Grazed Our Solar System When Neanderthals and Modern Humans Shared the Earth

The red dwarf star came closer than 1 light-year to the sun 70,000 years ago.

A New Batch of Neanderthal Genome Provides Insights Into Their Complex History

The number of genetically sequenced Neanderthals has just doubled, offering a better picture of archaic human history, which eventually intersected with that of anatomically modern humans.

Neanderthals Painted the World’s Oldest Cave Art

Frequently portrayed as brutish and uncultured, Neanderthals appear to be the artists behind paintings dating back to at least 64,800 years ago.

Ancient Humans & Neanderthals Had Sex, Here's How It Changed Us Forever

We've known for a while that ancient humans got busy with Neanderthals, but how exactly did that Neanderthal DNA affect modern humans?

Neanderthal DNA Influences the Looks and Behavior of Modern Humans

New studies strengthen the evidence that Neanderthals have a genetic impact on everything from bad habits to good cholesterol in people today.

Neanderthal Boy Found in Spanish Cave Was Human-Like, but With a Larger Brain

Neanderthals were brainier than modern humans, and new research helps to explain how these early hominids evolved so much brain power.

The First Adhesive Was Invented by Neanderthals 200,000 Years Ago

The early hominids were the first to invent an adhesive, and scientists now understand how.

Ancient Humans & Neanderthals Had Sex, Here's How It Changed Us Forever

We've known for a while that ancient humans got busy with Neanderthals, but how exactly did that Neanderthal DNA affect modern humans?

Ancient Dental Plaque Reveals That Neanderthals Used 'Aspirin'

DNA harvested from tartar on the teeth of Neanderthals has turned out to be a treasure trove, providing valuable dietary data as well as the oldest microbial genome yet sequenced.

Neanderthal's Eye for Bling Revealed by Unique Rock Stashed in Cave

At least 130,000 years ago, a Neanderthal decided to decorate a cave with an eye-catching striped rock.

Search Results

All Results for:

112 results

How Did Science Get Neanderthals So Wrong?

New neanderthal research adds to the changing image of these early hominids, and they’re not at all what we thought.

Brain Reconstructions Suggest Reasons for the Decline of Neanderthals

Computer models show that Neanderthals appear to have had a smaller cerebellum than early Homo sapiens.

A Star Grazed Our Solar System When Neanderthals and Modern Humans Shared the Earth

The red dwarf star came closer than 1 light-year to the sun 70,000 years ago.

A New Batch of Neanderthal Genome Provides Insights Into Their Complex History

The number of genetically sequenced Neanderthals has just doubled, offering a better picture of archaic human history, which eventually intersected with that of anatomically modern humans.

Neanderthals Painted the World’s Oldest Cave Art

Frequently portrayed as brutish and uncultured, Neanderthals appear to be the artists behind paintings dating back to at least 64,800 years ago.

Ancient Humans & Neanderthals Had Sex, Here's How It Changed Us Forever

We've known for a while that ancient humans got busy with Neanderthals, but how exactly did that Neanderthal DNA affect modern humans?

Neanderthal DNA Influences the Looks and Behavior of Modern Humans

New studies strengthen the evidence that Neanderthals have a genetic impact on everything from bad habits to good cholesterol in people today.

Neanderthal Boy Found in Spanish Cave Was Human-Like, but With a Larger Brain

Neanderthals were brainier than modern humans, and new research helps to explain how these early hominids evolved so much brain power.

The First Adhesive Was Invented by Neanderthals 200,000 Years Ago

The early hominids were the first to invent an adhesive, and scientists now understand how.

Ancient Humans & Neanderthals Had Sex, Here's How It Changed Us Forever

We've known for a while that ancient humans got busy with Neanderthals, but how exactly did that Neanderthal DNA affect modern humans?

Ancient Dental Plaque Reveals That Neanderthals Used 'Aspirin'

DNA harvested from tartar on the teeth of Neanderthals has turned out to be a treasure trove, providing valuable dietary data as well as the oldest microbial genome yet sequenced.

Neanderthal's Eye for Bling Revealed by Unique Rock Stashed in Cave

At least 130,000 years ago, a Neanderthal decided to decorate a cave with an eye-catching striped rock.