Neanderthal

Sometimes you hear claims that "Neanderthals" were human, that homo sapiens descended from them. Some say that they "possessed the capacity for language and the ability to make art, music, and jewelry. Other studies claim that Neanderthals ritualistically buried their dead, mastered fire, and used plants medicinally."

But evidence found by Japanese researchers leads to different conclusions.

Studying the cranial cavity of both Neanderthal and human skulls has shown that the brains are different. The right side of the cerebellum in Neanderthals is smaller.

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"[T]he researchers argue that the reduced size of the right cerebellar hemisphere in Neanderthals limits the connection to the prefrontal regions—a connection critical for language processing. Neuroscientists have also discovered that the parietal lobe plays a role in visuo-spatial imagery, episodic memory, self-related mental representations, coordination between self and external spaces, and sense of agency."

"On the basis of this study, it seems that humans either outcompeted Neanderthals for limited resources . . .or simply were better suited to survive than Neanderthals because of superior mental capabilities."