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Extinct apex predatorsFossil taxa described in 1864NeanderthalsStone Age Asia

Neanderthal

Adapted from Wikipedia · Explorer experience

A museum diorama showing a Neanderthal mother, helping us learn about ancient human ancestors.

Who Were Neanderthals?

Neanderthals were a special group of early humans who lived long ago. They lived in Europe and parts of Asia. We know about them because scientists found their bones and tools.

The first Neanderthal bone was found in a place called the Neander Valley in Germany in 1856. This helped scientists learn that people like Neanderthals lived on Earth before today’s humans.

What Did Neanderthals Look Like?

Neanderthals looked a little different from us. They had strong bodies made for cold weather. Their skulls were long and low, and they had thick brows over their eyes. They also had big teeth and strong jaws.

Neanderthals had bigger brains than modern humans, but their brains worked differently. They made simple stone tools called Mousterian tools and knew how to make fire. They ate animals, plants, and mushrooms.

Why Do We Remember Neanderthals?

Neanderthals are remembered because scientists found their fossils and learned about their lives. They lived in small groups and took care of their friends who were hurt. Some Neanderthals had children with early modern humans, and today many people carry a little bit of Neanderthal DNA in their bodies.

Neanderthals disappeared about 40,000 years ago when modern humans arrived in their areas. Scientists think they had fewer children or had trouble changing to new environments. Whatever the reason, Neanderthals are no longer with us, but we still learn amazing things about them.

Images

A fossilized skull from a Neanderthal, an ancient human relative, displayed in a museum exhibit.
An ancient human skull known as 'Miguelón,' discovered in the Sima de los Huesos chamber, displayed at the Museo de la Evolución Humana.
A cast of a Neanderthal skull on display at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, showing scientists how early humans looked long ago.
Map showing how large parts of Europe were covered by ice during the last glacial period, thousands of years ago.
A scientific illustration showing the skull features of Neanderthals, an ancient human relative.
A map showing the three different genetic areas where Neanderthals lived long ago.
An artist’s reconstruction of a Neanderthal hunter displayed at the Neanderthal Museum, showing what early human ancestors might have looked like.
Ancient eagle talons from a Neanderthal site, possibly used as early jewelry.
An ancient stone tool called a Mousterian point, used by early humans during prehistoric times.
An ancient flint flake from a Paleolithic site, possibly engraved by a Neanderthal hand over 40,000 years ago.
Scientific reconstruction of an early European Homo sapiens based on ancient bones found in a Romanian cave, displayed in a museum for learning about human history.

This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Neanderthal, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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