Proud to be Neanderthal
A bit of family history
The Neanderthals thrived through multiple Ice Ages. How will modern humans handle the next Ice Age? Very poorly I’d guess from our current hysteria over global warming (now politically renamed “climate change”).
Professor Suzanne Birch provides an interesting presentation of current understanding of our ancestors.
Neanderthals had large 1500 cubic centimeter brains vs 1200 cc brains for homo sapiens. Neanderthals were shorter, stockier and very well adapted to cold climates. Pale skin and red hair, was perhaps more common, due to a mutation in the MC1R gene (which increases vitamin D production – very valuable in locations with less sunlight). Neanderthals consumed a high protein, high fat diet (they were master hunters). Neanderthal life demanded 3,500 to 4,000 calories per day (keep in mind that Neanderthals were typically about five feet tall, thus small by modern standards). Contrast that to our modern sedentary life demands of about 2,000 calories a day, for someone about 5’8”.
One fascinating theory proposes that Neanderthal females participated more in big game hunting than homo sapien females who are believed to have mostly stayed safe at home having babies (and thus greater population growth).
Keep in mind that many of these new theories demonstrate how the “truth” changes over time. What we know (about all subjects) is very much a lot of educated guesswork!
Neanderthals spread far and wide across Europe and Asia.
Modern humans vary in how much neanderthal DNA we have, individuals with the highest percentages reach 3%. Chimpanzees share 98% to 99% of DNA with homo sapiens. I’m proud to say I am 3% neanderthal. So does that make me more different from a pure homo sapien than a chimpanzee is? My guess is that what we “know” about DNA is less than what we don’t know! Personally I love the evidence that higher neanderthal DNA amounts are associated with higher intelligence. High neanderthal DNA percentages run in my family.
We have a wonderfully fascinating and rich family history from the Wryta brothers who helped William the Conqueror take England in 1066, to the several generations of Lord John Wrights of Kelvedon Hall during 1500s (Henry the VIII’s reign), to the more modern Wrights. Philander Montague Wright, a graduate of Harvard who became a teacher and then a farmer. His famous daughter Mary, “May” Eliza Wright Sewall who devoted herself to the promotion of higher education of women and the women's suffrage movement. Her brother, doctor Philo Wright (a civil war hero), Paul Emerson Wright (an educator), and Dr. Thomas Wright (my grandfather). Of course Wilbur and Orville who first demonstrated powered aircraft flight. Uncle Teddy, an inventor, of locking zipper and jukebox patent fame (his workshop fascinated me as a child).
Keep an open mind, don’t just think of neanderthals as the stereotype primitive caveman. Early humans and neanderthals were every bit as intelligent and emotionally caring as modern humans. Perhaps more so as modern society has largely lost touch with nature. Primitive does not equal dumb.