Dr. Genevieve von Petzinger

Isn't that crazy?

But

So understand, at this point, probably I'd say 80% to 90% of the field probably is on Team Neanderthal with me.

However, there is still a piece who would disagree with us.

Just keep that in mind.

When I'm talking about Neanderthals, this is my opinion, and this is not necessarily everybody in the field.

At this point, it's probably the majority, but it's still being contested.

Scholars love to fight about things.

It's kind of partially what they do.

So that, though, is the deep story, is that everything's been a fight.

So step one, oh, my gosh, they're burying their dead.

Well, wait a second.

That sounds like they cared about people.

Maybe they aren't such animals.

Oh, look, they're putting things in their graves as though maybe they thought people went somewhere after they died.

Or look, they cared for people.

Like we've got examples of very serious injuries that somebody cared for somebody.

They healed and lived for years afterwards, even though they would have been no use to anybody afterwards.

from a physical point of view, because they couldn't have provided or hunted or gathered.

However, somebody cared for them, or they have no teeth left, and somebody mushed up food for them.