Neanderthal brains measure up to ours
6 hours ago
- #Pleistocene Humans
- #Brain Evolution
- #Neanderthals
- Neanderthal and Homo sapiens skulls are visibly different in shape, but recent studies indicate these differences may not reflect significant variations in the brains inside.
- A study comparing MRI scans of modern human brains with Neanderthal skull casts shows that brain size variation among modern humans is greater than between Neanderthals and Pleistocene Homo sapiens.
- Brain size is not a reliable predictor of cognitive capability, suggesting Neanderthals could have been more similar to us than previously thought.
- Archaeological evidence aligns with the idea that Neanderthals were not out-competed by Homo sapiens due to superior intelligence or adaptability.
- Endocasts (casts of the inner skull) have been used to study Neanderthal brains, with a 2018 study noting Neanderthals had smaller cerebellums on average, though based on a small sample.