Scientists Say: Neandertal
Neandertals were an ancient species closely related to modern humans
This is a skull from a Neandertal. It looks similar to a modern human skull, but Neandertals were a different species from us.
NCSSM/Flickr (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Neandertal or Neanderthal (noun, “nee-ANN-der-tal” or “nee-ANN-der-thal”)
This is an extinct species that is in the same genus as modern humans. Modern humans belong to Homo sapiens. Neandertals are classified as Homo neanderthalensis. Neandertals lived in Europe and parts of Asia from around 200,000 to 28,000 years ago. They were a little shorter and squatter than people are now. Though some people now use “Neandertal” as an insult, evidence suggests Neandertals were clever and talented. For instance, Neandertals could use tools and wore jewelry. And in places where they overlapped with H. sapiens, some Neandertals mated with local humans. Scientists have found the evidence of those matings: Many modern people carry small bits of Neandertal DNA.
In a sentence
Neandertals could make their own tools, using tar to help stick spearheads on to handles.
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