Making a powerful case for the Neanderthals as a separate species in no way inferior to modern humans, James Shreeve ponders the mystery of their disappearance in The Neandertal Enigma (Morrow $25, ISBN 0 688 09407 4), surveying the work among others of archaeologist Lewis Binford at Combe-Grenal in France. He is persuaded that the separation of tasks for which Binford finds evidence shows that the Neanderthals were indeed unlike us. And their disappearance? Shreeve points out that in evolutionary terms you do not have to fail to die out, merely to succeed less often than another species. This may have been the Neanderthals’ fate.
More from 91av
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Mind
Vocal fry is more common in men, actually, find scientists
News
Environment
Will burying dead trees after a wildfire keep their carbon locked up?
News
Technology
3 things you need to know about quantum computers, from an expert
Comment
Environment
Melting of Greenland ice sheet could release methane 'fire ice'
News
Popular articles
Trending 91av articles
1
Why autism pioneer Uta Frith wants to dismantle the spectrum
2
Where did the laws of physics come from? I think I've found the answer
3
Asteroid set to fly very close to Earth
4
PCOS has been officially renamed PMOS, and it’s a momentous move
5
Neanderthals treated a dental cavity by drilling into the tooth
6
Rebooting stem cells builds aged muscles and assists injury recovery
7
What if the idea of the autism spectrum is completely wrong?
8
3 things you need to know about quantum computers, from an expert
9
Can cloud seeding save us from water bankruptcy?
10
Arctic fires are releasing carbon stored for thousands of years
