“Imagine Neanderthals and Denisovans Today: Scientists Reveal What They Might Look Like If They Hadn’t Gone Extinct!”

For the last 40,000 years, only Homo sapiens have walked the Earth. Our ancient relatives, the Neanderthals and Denisovans, disappeared long ago, leaving behind fossils and traces in our DNA. But what if they hadn’t gone extinct? Experts are curious about this scenario.

Interestingly, researchers believe Neanderthals and Denisovans might not have looked all that different from us today. However, fitting into our fast-paced, interconnected society could have presented challenges for them.

Dr. April Noel, a paleoanthropologist from the University of Victoria, challenges the stereotype of Neanderthals as dim-witted cavemen. While they were far from simple, their social skills may not have matched ours. Imagine trying to fit into the crowded subway: that’s a likely challenge for them.

Neanderthals appeared around 400,000 years ago, while Denisovans diverged from a common ancestor about 430,000 years ago. If they had survived, they might have retained many physical traits, such as being shorter and more robust than modern humans. Fossil evidence shows Neanderthals had larger heads with significant brow ridges and muscular bodies. Their skulls indicate they could accommodate larger brains than ours.

Despite these differences, many features overlap with modern humans. Professor John Hawks from the University of Wisconsin-Madison highlights that all physical traits of Neanderthals can also be found, to some extent, in today’s humans. This means they wouldn’t look like the brutish images often portrayed but rather a close variation of us.

The Denisovans remain more mysterious. Recently, the first Denisovan skull was identified, allowing scientists to suggest they had wide faces and large noses. They were likely strong and adapted to cold climates, possibly even larger than Neanderthals.

Dr. Hugo Zeberg from the Karolinska Institutet reflects on how Neanderthals and Denisovans didn’t truly go extinct but live on through our DNA. Many modern humans carry traces of them, especially for those of Eurasian descent. About 1-2% of European and Asian genomes contain Neanderthal DNA. If they had survived longer, interbreeding could have led to a more diverse genetic pool.

As we explore the idea of coexistence, we see Neanderthals and Denisovans likely struggled with the social dynamics of modern life. Research suggests they lived in small, close-knit groups and may not have had the same community structures as Homo sapiens. In today’s world, they could feel isolated.

Dr. Noel points out that the more social nature of modern humans is a distinct advantage. Humans have developed genes that enhance sociability and community-building. If Neanderthals were in our place, they might find it hard to adapt to living in large urban settings.

Imagine a world where Neanderthals thrived alongside Homo sapiens. Society might have been shaped quite differently. As Professor Spikins mentions, while we became more adaptable and playful, Neanderthals might have acted less on impulse. Could this mean fewer issues like climate change if they were in charge?

Neanderthals and Denisovans never showed evidence of domesticating animals or influencing agriculture. This could indicate a world without pets and large-scale farming if they had prevailed. The ecological impacts might have been more local, rather than the global modifications we see today.

In summary, while Neanderthals and Denisovans were different in many ways, they also held similarities with us. Their survival would have fundamentally altered society, shaping our lives in unforeseen ways. As we continue to study these fascinating relatives, we learn more about the complex tapestry of human history and what makes us unique today.

REFERENCES:

• University of Wisconsin-Madison
• University of Victoria
• Karolinska Institutet

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