PADDYBOY

If Neanderthal had survived and learned to co-exist with us Humans. Would there be any point in Humans competing in sporting events ???
Or would we just outlaw such events, deeming them to be uncivilised (if we can't win)

Eyza

Paddyboy:

Well, I guess it depends on how you "see" Neandertals. Just about all the reconstructions(that are relatively recent and any good, that is), seem to show people who were more muscular and bigger-boned than is "usual" among "modern" humans. But OTOH, you have to remember that bone density and muscle size can be increased by exercise and activity. And you also have to remember that Neandertals(as well as the earliest "modern" humans) had to do a lot of exercise and activity. In fact, some of the earliest "moderns" tended to be a lot more muscular and presumably bone-dense, than current "moderns". Neandertals doubtless had some genetic advantage, but it may not have been as great as many people suppose. And if you've ever observed anybody who "works out" a lot, you will see that it is possible for "puny" modern humans to build themselves up. Oh, and don't forget that Neandertals began to "gracilize" too, toward the end of their existence. The fossils at Vindija, Slovenia, tend to show some of these "gracilizing" trends. So I don't think there's any simple answer to your question.
Anne G

heikstheo

From what I've heard (and this was probably from Readers' Digest, for whatever that is - or is not - worth to you), it sounds like as if a Neanderthal could stand at one end of a football field and throw a Homo Sapiens through the goalposts at the other end of the football field. So, in such an Olympics, the Homo Sapiens might as well be the sports equipment!

Eyza

heikstheo:

I think this is a vast journalistic exaggeration. Neandertals were (somewhat) more bone-dense and muscular than the average "modern". OTOH, I used to work in a retail store where I had to check people's photo ID's a lot. And there were plenty of people who matched Neandertals for height and weight, yet were perfectly "modern". Looked perfectly "modern", too, as far as I could tell. But then, early "modern" humans were stronger than most people today. After all, like Neandertals, they had to go out and get their own dinner!
Anne G

PADDYBOY

I remember seeing a programme on telly a few years ago, were they took a well known presenter (Alan Titchmarsh) made him up to look like a Neandertal , the make-up team did a pretty good job, then dressed him up in modern clothes, sent him out into the streets (London I think) with some money.
He went shopping, sat in a cafes, generally mingled with the public and no one batted an eyelid

Eyza

Paddyboy:

Now why would anybody "bat an eye" at a "Neandertal on the street"? Their noses might seem a tad prominent to a "modern" eye --- after all, even "modern" people have been known to complain about their noses sticking out, and they get nose jobs to "correct" this --- but, given the fact that most people wouldn't know a Neandertal in modern clothes from a hole in the ground, I doubt if they would notice much of anything else.
Anne G

PADDYBOY

Am I missing a link or something here ? Neandertal was much taller than a hole in the ground
What was really surprising about the programme was how human Alan Titchmarsh looked when he was made up as a neandertal (More human, than he normaly looks )Though when he had the proverbial bearskins on, he looked every bit, the primitive caveman?
The clothes maketh the man (sometimes)

Eyza

Paddyboy:

Nope, you're not missing anything. Neandertals looked perfectly human, thank you very much. Not exactly like "us", but perfectly human. And I wonder how early "moderns" would have looked to us people living in the 21st century? I mean, they dressed in furs, too. Hint: you might want to look at some old pictures of Inuit/Eskimo people taken in the early 20th century, just to get an idea.
Anne G

PADDYBOY

Eyza
I don't need to look, I know what you are saying and agree!
When it comes to Neandertals, there's a lot I don't know, a lot I will never know and a lot I would like to know, and that's why I find them so interesting.

The biggest mystery for me, is, why didn't they survive ? If ther's an after-life, I may yet find out

Yours warmly
PADDYBOY

JerseyPerson14

Nicolai Valuev that 7 foot russian heavyweight boxing champ looks like a neanderthal.

What happened to the neanderthal? I heard the cro magnon wiped them out. Cro magnon had more intellect than neanderthal right? I have also heard that caucasians are a mix of cro and neander.