The Neanderthals were a subspecies of early humans that lived in Europe and western Asia from around 400,000 to 40,000 years ago. They were well-adapted to cold environments and predominantly carnivorous. While shorter than modern humans, Neanderthals had larger brains and more robust bodies. They made tools, controlled fire, built shelters, hunted in groups, and showed early signs of cultural development. The last Neanderthals are believed to have gone extinct around 25,000 years ago, possibly due to competition with modern humans, violent climate change, or interbreeding when Homo sapiens moved into their habitats.

1. The Neanderthal:
Survival of the Fittest
Social Studies for 8th E.G.B.
Teacher: Mauricio Torres

2. Neanderthals
The Neanderthals were a different sub-species of homo
sapiens.
The few remains found of them, are all around 30,000
years old, but tools and artifacts belonging to them have
been found to be 24,000 years old. This means they
survived at least that far.

3. Tough guys
Evidence has shown that
Neanderthals were better adapted
to cold weather.
Their barrel chests and stocky
limbs stored body heat better
than homo sapiens.
They were largely carnivorous.
80% of their diet was protein
based, modern humans, on
average only base a 12%.
But they also cooked some
vegetables!
Sites built of mammoth bones
have been found, showing they
had a capacity to fabricate shelter.

4. Larger and stronger
They had bigger
brains.
They were more
robust than modern
humans.
They were a bit
shorter.
They had strong
limbs.

5. Skills
They were a strong
highly adapted
species:
They had shown
early signs of cultural
development.
Developed tools on
their own.
Controlled fire.
Built shelter.
Used clothes.
Hunted in groups.

6. Our long lost cousins
2010: Comparison of Neanderthal DNA with
modern humans from Africa and Eurasia shows
that 1–4% of modern non-African human DNA
might come from the Neanderthals!

7. When and where did they
live?
They lived during the last Ice Age.
They lived between Western Europe (including
modern day England) and as far as the Indus
River.
No remains have been found in Africa.

8. Extinction
Competition with
humans probably
contributed to Neanderthal
extinction, when homo
sapiens moved into their
habitats.
Violent climate changes
that were too fast for them
to adapt to.
Interbreeding: they were
absorbed into the homo
sapiens population
(Genetic research has
confirmed that some
• The last recording of Neanderthals is 25,000 years old.
• Three main hypothesis explain their disappearance:

9. Ask Yourself

10. Bibliography
Sources at: Wikipedia. (n.d.). Neanderthal.
(Wikipedia) Retrieved May 1, 2012, from
Wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neanderthal
Ellis, E. G., & Esler, A. (2009). World History. (P.
Hall, Ed.) Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, US:
Pearson Education INC.
Human Origins: Neanderthal [Motion Picture].
Images taken from Google.