Neanderthals Disappeared Because Their Bodies Overheated

Analysis of DNA from Neanderthal remains has revealed key differences from modern man, that suggest their bodies produced excess heat.

While in the cold climate of the ice age that have provided the species with an advantage, as the earth warmed they would have been less able to cope. Finally, would have caused their extinction about 24,000 years.

Scientists at Newcastle University have proposed the theory after examining a particular form of genetic material was obtained from the fossil bones of Neanderthals.

When compared with that found in modern humans, Neanderthals had found that differences in the sections responsible for the production of energy in all living cells.

Professor Patrick Chinnery, neurogeneticist Newcastle University, believes that the differences in mitochondrial DNA could have caused Neanderthals to be inefficient to produce energy, so their cells leaked heat.

For more interesting topics related to archaeology, visit archaeology excavations.