From: Christian Weisgerber (naddy@mips.rhein-neckar.de)
Date: Sun Sep 19 1999 - 10:37:53 MDT
Lee Daniel Crocker <lcrocker@mercury.colossus.net> wrote:
> The label "Neandthal" bothers me a bit though: Neanderthal man
> was Homo Sapiens, so we /are/ Neanderthals.
Er, no. Neandertal Man was Homo neanderthalensis. Stronger bones,
physically much stronger, different facial features, slightly bigger
brain, throat sufficiently different that it remains unclear whether
Neandertals were capable of articulating speech. It is still subject
to scientific dispute whether Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens
did (or even could) interbreed. In fact, we know infuriatingly little
about the Neandertals and their relation to contemporary modern man.
The use of "Neandertal" as a derogative term is questionable, of
course.
-- Christian "naddy" Weisgerber naddy@mips.rhein-neckar.de
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