The real reason for the extinction of the Neanderthals would no longer be linked solely to the climate, to competition with the A wise man or to a supposed cognitive inferiority.
According to a recent scientific discovery, social isolation and poor connection among the different Neanderthal groups would have been key factors that led to their disappearance about 40,000 years ago.
The research reveals that these populations they lived fragmentedwith very little genetic and cultural exchange, which weakened their ability to survive in the long term.
This discovery, published from new analyzes of ancient DNA and archaeological remains, poses a profound change in the way of understanding the end of the Neanderthals.
Far from being a speciesprimitive«, they had technical skills, symbolic language and adaptation to the environment. However, their social structure would have been their greatest weakness.
The social isolation of Neanderthals and its evolutionary consequences
The central axis of the discovery is the confirmation that Neanderthals They lived in very small groupsbetween 10 and 20 individuals, and with little contact with other nearby communities.
Unlike the A wise manwhich established extensive networks of cooperation, exchange and migration, the Neanderthals They remained largely isolated.
The scientists detected, from the DNA extracted from bone remains found in different parts of Europeclear signs of repeated inbreeding.
This means that the Neanderthals They reproduced within very closed circles, which caused a progressive reduction in genetic diversity. This phenomenon increased vulnerability to diseases, environmental changes and demographic crises.
The discovery also indicates that this isolation limited the transmission of knowledge. Tools, hunting techniques or adaptation strategies did not circulate easily among Neanderthal groups.
When the climate became more hostile or resources became scarce, this lack of intergroup cooperation proved decisive.
The researchers combined genetic studies with archaeological evidence to reconstruct the way of life of the Neanderthals in its last millennia.
The most compelling discovery comes from the analysis of complete genomes, where long stretches of identical DNA were observed, an unequivocal sign of small and isolated populations for generations.
Furthermore, the archaeological sites show a discontinuous occupation of the territories, with abandoned settlements that were not replaced by other Neanderthal groups.
This reinforces the idea of fragile communities, unable to sustain themselves when faced with prolonged crises.
The discovery also relativizes the direct impact of A wise man in extinction. Although there was contact—and even miscegenation—scientists maintain that the Neanderthals They were already in demographic decline before the mass arrival of our species.
