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Monday, August 31, 2009

Neanderthals

In 1856, a couple of mine workers in Germany found a skeleton with thick bones and a ridge above the eyes. It was very similar to human form, but it was a Neanderthal. Neanderthal means "Wise Man" If you consider Neanderthals dumb cave-men, you would be wrong. In fact, they are really smart! They are as smart as us actually. The Neanderthals lived in Africa, Europe, and a little of Asia. The skeleton led scientists to believe that Neanderthals were hunched over. Actually, It was just the skeleton of an old man who died of a disease. In reality, Neanderthals stood up straight. The most remarkable feature of Neanderthals, is the size of their brain. It is the same as ours! Over 60 tools have been found created by the Neanderthals. More than the Homo Habilis! Neanderthals created knives, scrapers, and spear points by slicing of a top of a rock, creating two or three sharp flakes from the original piece. They lived and traveled in groups, and were the first early hominids to hunt in an organized group. They cared about one another when they were injured. Scientists came to this conclusion when they found Neanderthal bones that were broken, and then healed. Neanderthals cared about each other.When one of them died, they buried the body, and felt sadness, and pain. Neanderthals were an advanced human species, and nobody knows the exact time they disappeared.