"Neanderthal large eyes 'caused their demise'" Topic

An interesting theory
link

All those poor anime characters are DOOMED!

Doug

There is some evidence that they didn't entirely go extinct, but, were absorbed into the encroaching Homo Sapiens tribes.

So then anime characters are throwbacks?

Doug

No one will miss those anime characters. Just like no one misses the weepy clowns painted on black velvet.

"My what large eyes you have!"

Never mind anime, what about lead armies with the dreaded bug-eye syndrome? Are they in peril?

Is this what did in Marty Feldman?

Quite the reverse. Marty Feldman was bug-eyed because the pressure from his brain's massively-overdeveloped comedic lobe forced them to protrude from their sockets.

Okay the idea that Neanderthals had more of their brains devoted to their eyesight is a good one. It's testable to a degree, and reasonable. To jump from that to "It's their big eyes that caused their deaths" is just stupid. You can't test such a theory, and any evidence you can show to 'prove' this theory can easily be interpeted a hundred other different ways.

I'm hoping this is a case of 'bad reporting' as opposed to bad science.

** Receaved a 'bad lock file' message when I tried to post this and ended up posting twice – deleted the extra post.

To jump from that to "It's their big eyes that caused their deaths" is just stupid.

Exactly.
I blame the reporters too.
The logical sequence in the following would have earned me an F:
"Neanferthals had big eyes."
"Neanderthals are extinct."
"Therefore…"

Happens every few years – some anthropologist offended by the fact that the average neanderthal had a bigger brain than he does (about 250cc larger on average) has to "prove" that their brains were somehow less effective. "It's not the size, it's how you use it!"

Thing is, Neanderthals are only extinct as a separate species. They interbred with homo sapiens, and those of us who are Northern Europeans have Neanderthal genes.

(Ozzy Osbourne has an abnormally large number of Neanderthal genes.)

The Far East Asians apparently have Denisovan genes, too.

Happens every few years – some anthropologist offended by the fact that the average neanderthal had a bigger brain than he does (about 250cc larger on average) has to "prove" that their brains were somehow less effective. "It's not the size, it's how you use it!"

I used mine twice this morning already. I am not sure about extinction but I am feeling somewhat fatigued from the exertion.

There is some good evidence that Neanderthals's brains were differently wired than ours, but how this affected them or contributed to their extinction is largely a matter of speculation. While this new theory is certainly interesting, it probably is a silly notion to pin the extinction of Neanderthals on that single feature.

We only appeared 200K years ago, Neanderthal appeared 600K years ago, three times longer so they must have done something right.

Or one thing really wrong :)

Last time I looked, both Neanderthals and modern humans are considered to be the same species. By definition this would mean that if they interacted sexually the result would be a viable offspring capable of reproduction.

They didn't go away or disappear. The blood of Neanderthals runs in us. Consider that most Neanderthal remains fall within the range of variability of modern humans. In other words, that stocky guy with the rather heavy brow that you see at the bank every week is probably a pretty typical specimen of Neanderthal physiology.

The larger eye theory would be interesting except that Neanderthal had a larger brain too which we could conclude would more than compensate for slightly larger eyes, suggesting that not only could Neanderthal see better, but they could think better too. Besides, brain size in humans does not necessarily correlate with intelligence.

My big eyes have nearly killed me on occasion. Mostly it involves looking at other women.

Hmmm…. My understanding of Neanderthal was that they were not less intelligent than modern humans.

The main difference being that they did not trade with other Neanderthal. Anyone who has played Civilisations will understand what that will lead to.

I knew a guy once that was an atavistic throwback. He looked like a modern reconstruction of a Neanderthal with beetling brow and prominent broad nose. Despite this, he was a remarkable hit with women. a musical prodigy, and one of the most humorous people I've ever met. Sadly he never made it to 40. RIP Pete.

Dinosaurs were around for a long time, too, and nobody debates their vast intellect…. However, many contemporary manifestations of 'Homo sapiens' make neanderthals look rather witty, including a large number of psuedo-scientists and so-called journalists…

So are you saying Neanderthals had big eyes.
Marty Feldman had big eyes and was really funny.
Soo…therefore Neanderthals were really funny??