Science/AAAS The Neandertal Genome

The Neandertal Genome

      Neandertals (Homo neanderthalensis) are currently believed to be our closest evolutionary relatives.

      “Fossil remains and anatomical reconstructions indicate that the typical Neandertal had a stocky muscular body with short forearms and legs, a large head with bony brow ridges and a brain slightly larger than ours, a jutting face with a large nose, and perhaps reddish hair and fair skin. Neandertals made and used a diverse set of sophisticated tools, controlled fire, organized their living spaces, hunted and fed on game of various sizes, and occasionally made symbolic or ornamental objects”.

For more Neandertal basics, see http://www.sciencemag.org/special/neandertal/feature/index.html