Neanderthal Apocalypse Site

Scientists are still debating exactly what wiped them out, but most theories fall into a few key categories:

: Just as later human civilizations were devastated by new viruses, Neanderthals might have succumbed to pathogens brought by migrating Homo sapiens that their immune systems weren't prepared for. Neanderthal Apocalypse

One of the most fascinating twists in this "apocalypse" is that Neanderthals didn't entirely vanish. DNA analysis shows that modern humans outside of Africa carry about . This means that instead of a total wipeout, there was a period of interbreeding. In a sense, they live on through us, influencing everything from our immune systems to certain modern health traits. Scientists are still debating exactly what wiped them

: Massive volcanic eruptions during this period, such as the Campanian Ignimbrite eruption in Italy, might have caused a "volcanic winter," disrupting the food chain and making survival impossible for the already stressed Neanderthal populations. Did They Actually Go Extinct? This means that instead of a total wipeout,