They, the people?Just curious about the wording in the first paragraph of "French site sparks Neandertal debate" (SN: 9/17/05, p. 189): "Around 36,000 years ago, Neandertals and people lived side by side...." Were not the Neandertals "people" and isn't it true that Neandertals and Cro-Magnons were both Homo sapiens Homo sapiens (Latin; “wise man”) Species to which all modern human beings belong. The oldest known fossil remains date to c. 120,000 years ago—or much earlier (c. ? JOHN HANSON
John Hanson (April 3, 1715 – November 22, 1783) was a delegate to the Continental Congress from Maryland. MITCHELL, LINCOLN, MASS. This is one of the biggest debates in paleoanthropology. Many researchers regard Neandertals as a separate species, Homo neanderthalensis. Others view Neandertals as a geographic variant variant /var·i·ant/ (var´e-ant) 1. something that differs in some characteristic from the class to which it belongs. 2. exhibiting such variation. var·i·ant adj. of H. sapiens sa·pi·ens adj. Of, relating to, or characteristic of Homo sapiens. [Latin sapi . The debate is far from over.--B. BOWER SEND COMMUNICATIONS TO: Editor, Science News 1719 N Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036 or editors@sciencenews.org All letters subject to editing. |
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