Professor Chris Stringer

Yeah, I think it's impossible to say how much of it was purely down to us, but I think it's a combination of things. There also was climate change going on, and there were some severe cold shocks in this period between 40,000 and 50,000, which actually impacted both groups.

But interestingly, there is some evidence of exchange of information between the groups as well, because some of those early sapiens groups at 45,000 years ago seemed to be adapting quite well to cold conditions. There were already some of them in really quite cold conditions. And it's possible that that is a sign they picked up some Neanderthal adaptations.

But interestingly, there is some evidence of exchange of information between the groups as well, because some of those early sapiens groups at 45,000 years ago seemed to be adapting quite well to cold conditions. There were already some of them in really quite cold conditions. And it's possible that that is a sign they picked up some Neanderthal adaptations.

But interestingly, there is some evidence of exchange of information between the groups as well, because some of those early sapiens groups at 45,000 years ago seemed to be adapting quite well to cold conditions. There were already some of them in really quite cold conditions. And it's possible that that is a sign they picked up some Neanderthal adaptations.

So the Neanderthals were, of course, well adapted to cold conditions culturally, the kind of stone tools you need, the best animals to get for skins to wear, how you process the skins. All of those things perhaps could have been useful. So by taking in Neanderthal members into their groups, they could have picked up some of that Neanderthal knowledge of how to live in the cold.

So the Neanderthals were, of course, well adapted to cold conditions culturally, the kind of stone tools you need, the best animals to get for skins to wear, how you process the skins. All of those things perhaps could have been useful. So by taking in Neanderthal members into their groups, they could have picked up some of that Neanderthal knowledge of how to live in the cold.

So the Neanderthals were, of course, well adapted to cold conditions culturally, the kind of stone tools you need, the best animals to get for skins to wear, how you process the skins. All of those things perhaps could have been useful. So by taking in Neanderthal members into their groups, they could have picked up some of that Neanderthal knowledge of how to live in the cold.

And that would have been very useful for Homo sapiens. And genetically, the genetic inheritance was also useful because it seems that a lot of our immune systems outside of Africa have elements of Neanderthal DNA in them. And that makes sense because, of course, we had evolved in Africa with African diseases and pathogens and so on coming out of Africa into Western Asia and then into Europe.

And that would have been very useful for Homo sapiens. And genetically, the genetic inheritance was also useful because it seems that a lot of our immune systems outside of Africa have elements of Neanderthal DNA in them. And that makes sense because, of course, we had evolved in Africa with African diseases and pathogens and so on coming out of Africa into Western Asia and then into Europe.

And that would have been very useful for Homo sapiens. And genetically, the genetic inheritance was also useful because it seems that a lot of our immune systems outside of Africa have elements of Neanderthal DNA in them. And that makes sense because, of course, we had evolved in Africa with African diseases and pathogens and so on coming out of Africa into Western Asia and then into Europe.

We were going to be encountering new diseases, new pathogens and so on. The Neanderthals had evolved in those areas for hundreds of thousands of years. They would have had genetic defenses to those diseases. We didn't have them. By interbreeding with Neanderthals, we got a quick fix to our immune system. So that was also an advantage for us.

We were going to be encountering new diseases, new pathogens and so on. The Neanderthals had evolved in those areas for hundreds of thousands of years. They would have had genetic defenses to those diseases. We didn't have them. By interbreeding with Neanderthals, we got a quick fix to our immune system. So that was also an advantage for us.

We were going to be encountering new diseases, new pathogens and so on. The Neanderthals had evolved in those areas for hundreds of thousands of years. They would have had genetic defenses to those diseases. We didn't have them. By interbreeding with Neanderthals, we got a quick fix to our immune system. So that was also an advantage for us.

Yes. I mean, it could have been a two-way process. Once they're mixing, of course, diseases will go either way. And in both cases, there could be immune problems that you won't have the immunity. So it could have affected Neantol numbers if they were also small in number and Neantol numbers were shrinking and Homo sapiens numbers were increasing.

Yes. I mean, it could have been a two-way process. Once they're mixing, of course, diseases will go either way. And in both cases, there could be immune problems that you won't have the immunity. So it could have affected Neantol numbers if they were also small in number and Neantol numbers were shrinking and Homo sapiens numbers were increasing.

Yes. I mean, it could have been a two-way process. Once they're mixing, of course, diseases will go either way. And in both cases, there could be immune problems that you won't have the immunity. So it could have affected Neantol numbers if they were also small in number and Neantol numbers were shrinking and Homo sapiens numbers were increasing.

Again, that would have had a bad impact on the Neantols. As a parallel, some people have thought, yes, you think of the way smallpox decimated populations in the Americas and in Australia when it was brought there by people traveling from Europe. We tend to think of that. But of course, these were diseases that spread in large numbers of people in urban centers.

Again, that would have had a bad impact on the Neantols. As a parallel, some people have thought, yes, you think of the way smallpox decimated populations in the Americas and in Australia when it was brought there by people traveling from Europe. We tend to think of that. But of course, these were diseases that spread in large numbers of people in urban centers.

Again, that would have had a bad impact on the Neantols. As a parallel, some people have thought, yes, you think of the way smallpox decimated populations in the Americas and in Australia when it was brought there by people traveling from Europe. We tend to think of that. But of course, these were diseases that spread in large numbers of people in urban centers.

So in those cases, the populations are closely packed together and it's much easier to transmit the diseases. When we go back to 50,000 years ago, populations are more scattered and living in smaller numbers. So I think that purely disease is not going to be enough of an explanation in the situation we're in because these populations are small in number and they're spread out more.