Neuronic brains are like our brains

A recent research study shows that the Neanderthal brains grow at almost the same rate as modern humans, thereby collapsing the notion that they develop rapidly in the original way.

The least known discovery of two Norse-type children's skeletons as well as little known Neanderthal skeletal skeletal analysis allowed researchers to track the speed of the Neanderthal skull development. .

The results of the study reveal a similarity to the higher level expected between Neanderthals and modern people. Neanderthals live in Europe and Asia some 130,000 years ago 30,000 years ago.

Live fast, die young

Research on the speed of brain development can reveal to anthropological experts a great deal of information about development in the life of a human being.

In the beginning, some scientists thought that Neanderthals grew faster than modern humans and reached an earlier maturity, as did some chimpanzees. Chimpanzees are surviving relatives closest to us that grow faster than humans, but at the same time die sooner.

Researcher Christoph Zollikofer of the University of Zurich in Switzerland said: 'There is a saying' live fast, die young ', it is considered a primitive way of life. Modern people have evolved to have a longer life. The main conclusion that we have drawn is that there is no difference between the Neanderthean life and modern people, both of whom have the same long life. '

Virtual image of reconstructing the Neanderthean Mezmaiskaya.(A): Skeleton.(B) The skull looks from the right (scale bar, 5cm).(Photo: National Institute of Science, PNAS)

The discovery of the fact that modern humans and Neanderthals have the same characteristics means that we may have inherited that trait from the last common ancestor of the Neanderthals and modern people.

Replying to LiveScience, Zollikofer said: 'We can now say that the traits considered modern in terms of growth as well as slow growth are in fact old.

Good luck

Research can be done thanks to some lucky findings about anthropology. A group of Japanese researchers have found two Neanderthal children's bones, a 2-year-old skeleton and another about 18 months old, in a cave in Syria. Another Nenzoan child fossil was previously found in Russia, but has not been studied in detail or published in anthropological journals. These skeletons are dated to about 45,000 to 50,000 years ago.

Zollikofer and a team of researchers led by Marcia Ponce de León analyzed three skeletons and reconstructed a complete 3D skeleton on the computer based on available bones (about 70-80% of the frame). complete bone). They also studied fossil teeth and skeletons to estimate age through tooth development.

Virtual imagery recreates the two most well-preserved children's bones (1 year and 19 months old) belonging to the Neanderthal genus.(Photo: M. Ponce de León and C. Zollikofer, Zurich University)

The study of the children's head of the Neanderthal is slightly larger than the head of today's children, similar to the adult Nebula's skull, which is also slightly larger than the adult's skull. Paleontologists had to unearth the skeleton of Homo sapiens - our direct ancestors - from the corresponding characteristics of geological time. But the adult Homo sapiens brains are about the same size as adults. Since then researchers think that Homo sapiens also have skulls similar in size to Neanderthals.

The study provides further evidence that the Neanderthals and Homo sapiens ancestors of modern humans have more in common than our previous conception. Fossil records also provide evidence that Neanderthals also possess cultural skills, such as using tools or using some form of language. These characteristics have been thought to be unique to modern people.

Zollikofer said: 'They are more like modern people than we think in many ways. The first is a tool to use, then to eat meat, humanity, all the characteristics seem to originate deeply from evolution. If we look at the latest genetic studies, the Neanderthals also have many deep similarities with us. The picture is getting clearer and more detailed. And we gain more and more knowledge about differences and similarities. '

The researchers published their findings on August 8 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The research was funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation, the Japan Association for the Promotion of Science and the AH Schultz Foundation.