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Study Suggests Neanderthals Died Out Earlier Than Previously Thought

Feb. 4, 2013 9:30pm Jason Howerton

Study Suggests Neanderthals Died Out Earlier Than Once Thought

(AP Photo/Frank Franklin II, File)

BERLIN (AP) — Theories about when the last Neanderthals walked the Earth may have to be revised, according to a study that suggests they became extinct in their last refuge in Spain much earlier than previously thought.

Previous dating of bone fossils found at Neanderthal sites in the region put the youngest at about 35,000 years.

But researchers from Australia and Europe re-examined the bones using an improved method to filter out contamination and concluded that the remains are about 50,000 years old.

If true, the study, casts doubt on the idea that modern humans and Neanderthals co-existed – and possibly even interbred – for millennia, because humans aren’t believed to have settled in the region until 42,000 years ago.

“The results of our study suggest that there are major problems with the dating of the last Neanderthals in modern-day Spain,” said Thomas Higham, deputy director of the Radiocarbon Accelerator Unit at Oxford University in England. “It is unlikely that Neanderthals survived any later in this area than they did elsewhere in mainland Europe.”

The study, which was published Monday by the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, doesn’t completely exclude the possibility that Neanderthals survived until 35,000 years ago. The problem is that the warm climate on the Iberian peninsula quickly degrades a key protein used in so-called radiocarbon dating.

The researchers were only able to test bones from two of the 11 known Neanderthal sites in Spain. They were subjected to a new method called “ultrafiltration.” This removes more recent carbon molecules that have contaminated the bones and made them appear younger than they actually are.

Such techniques often lead to older radiocarbon dates, said, Chris Stringer, a senior research fellow at Britain’s Natural History Museum. “Science moves on and technology moves on,” he said.

Stringer, who was not involved in the study, said the new techniques should now be applied to other sites in Spain. “Until this is done, there must be a significant question mark over the possible late survival of Neanderthals in the region.”

If the remains from the other sites, too, turn out to be older, any encounter between Neanderthals and humans would have to have taken place earlier than previously thought, he said.

“Evidence from Britain, Belgium, France, Germany and Italy is increasingly pointing to a modern human presence before 40,000 years ago,” said Stringer. “The new chronology suggests that any interaction between the last Neanderthals and the earliest moderns in Europe will similarly move before, rather than after, 40,000 years.”

There is also the chance that Neanderthals survived longer in other corners of Europe, said Rachel E. Wood of the Australian National University in Canberra, a co-author of the study.

“There are some other possible areas that may have also acted as a refuge for the species, such as the Caucasus, but the `young’ radiocarbon dates in these areas have also found to be problematic,” she said.

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Comments (92)

neiman1
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 11:03pm
Science is so certain until they are not……amazing…Now the UN admits solar activity has more to do with climate change than previously admitted while saying the Earth is not warming as fast as previously thought.

Amazing.

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- Melika
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 7:26am
  I hate to break it to you, but scientists have known about the the problems with radiocarbon dating and the issues with the sun LONG before some idiot in a newsroom decides to print an article about it. Stop knocking scientists, it isn’t our fault the general public has become so uneducated and lacks such critical thinking skills that any silly “study” or “report” published by a newsroom is taken as “scientific fact”. I can’t tell you how many times the Blaze has reported on some obviously flawed study or an obviously skewed press release and made it sound like fact. Did you like the latest one about the owls? Blatantly skewed press release, and yet, the Blaze doesn’t report that, they just make it sound like a bunch of ART students suddenly discovered what thousands of biologists studying these birds could not. If their work was so revolutionary they would have been awarded a prize for their research. What did they get? An art poster award, because the poster was really, really nice.
  
  Report this comment
- badswing
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:12am
  melika is correct. the scientists did what scientists do. then the IPCC came along and turned it into a political thing. Have a few “scientists” stray (hansen , mann, jones etc) and we have the mess we have today.
  
  Report this comment
- 13th Imam
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:51am
  Melonilika Head
  So the So-Called scientists make up FACTS to support their gov cheese(Actual Taxpayers) money grab and the public is at fault? Are you on of those Fact creators?
  
  Report this comment
- naughtycal
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 9:13am
  if we evolved from neanderthals as they suggested there had to be coexistance of offspring and parents.
  
  Report this comment
- IndyGuy
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 9:43am
  Neanderthals never died out…They devolved into today’s Democrat…
  
  Report this comment
- G-WHIZ
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 10:17am
  1) Earrth is travelling AWAY from the sun. Therefore, it cannot get “warmer”.
  2) If Neo’s dissappeared earelier….how do you explain Hairy No-Reid??
  
  Report this comment
- floridasharkman
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 11:44am
  the neandethals never died out, they evolved into korandethals
  
  Report this comment
- tonypro
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 4:30pm
  This is a hogwash story, or a sideline tactic against Christianity, and no more. A poor attempt to say ” oh wait it’s not what we thought it was, so now we need MORE MONEY to study it further”
  
  Sorry I ain’t biten on this one. I don’t consider Adam, and Eve neanderthals.
  
  Report this comment
Winedude
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:56pm
Neanderthals are alive and well in the American South. They’re the ignorant folks that can’t seem to type more than one line without crying and moaning about how stupid everyone else around them is or take to calling people they disagree with a “POS”. I see great posts on this site and some of the most ignorant stuff ever to waste electrons…

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- Advection
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 11:02pm
  Bigotry against southerners?
  
  That certainly didnt raise the tone.
  
  Report this comment
- hi-polymer
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:25am
  Yall stop trollin now, ya hear.
  
  Report this comment
- huey6367
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 7:47am
  @ winedude
  
  Southerners are Neaderthals? Have you ever been to the south? We are the kindest, most humble, warm-hearted people you will ever meet. Think before you speak.
  
  Report this comment
- texastommy
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:18am
  “They’re the ignorant folks that can’t seem to type more than one line without crying and moaning about how stupid everyone else around them is”
  
  And yet, you cry and moan and call them sub humans. Just another Yankee who thinks he’s smarter than everyone else. Well, having lived in the North for far too long, I can say it’s full of the most bigoted people on earth. My evidence? Your post.
  
  Report this comment
- MASSACHUSETTS MILITIA
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 5:55pm
  “some of the most ignorant stuff ever to waste electrons…”
  Own a mirror? Try looking in it…..
  
  Report this comment
TRONINTHEMORNING
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:53pm
Seriously, what a ‘blah’ story.

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- Keatonc333
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 11:58pm
  WHAT!!! this is the most interesting story the blaze has posted this year!
  
  Report this comment
1bambam
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:49pm
Junk Science once again …real science says the Neanderthal is alive and wish I could say well but most scientist today recognize Al Gore as one of many living on the earth today……

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taintso
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:44pm
The study is absolutely wrong and misleading, we have plenty of the Neanderthals in Congress.

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progressiveslayer
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:40pm
Neanderthals didn’t die out because they’ve kept this regime in power,millions of them in fact are unfortunately still with us.

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Stu D. Baker-Hawk
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:37pm
Neanderthals died out 50,000 years ago? Okay, then how do you explain my next-door neighbor?…

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Kuurus
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:34pm
I’m about to despair of science the right hand doesn’t seem to know what the left has found and neither has a clue about truth.

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702TruthSeeker
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:26pm
this article is ridiculous, watch the nova special:

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/evolution/decoding-neanderthals.html

I know, pbs, the global warming tax payer robing people, nova is pretty good though

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- Keatonc333
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 11:58pm
  NOVA is Awesome!
  
  Report this comment
DefyTYRANNY
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:20pm
I would assert that Neanderthals are alive and well in society today, and blankly staring at the screens on their Apple products.

But that would be an insult to real Neanderthals, as they had the skills to hunt and create and use rudimentary tools to survive.

The power goes off now, those guys are sooo not going to make it.

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- Melika
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 8:06am
  I thought they were in the insurance business.
  
  Report this comment
gdbhusker
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:19pm
for an interesting twist….refer to the Bible and look for nephilim. Gen.6…now even if you are not a Christian, the muslims, the Buddhists, and almost every other religion on Earth and culture tell of these large creatures with huge skulls and what…. there are many scientists that are trying to link Neanderthals with the ancient Annunaki, the heros of the greek and roman religions etc… it is worth a look and wicked (pardon the pun) interesting… scientists don’t know everything, and are proving it the further we travel into the future…. have a great night Blaze……

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- Advection
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:25pm
  I’ve read that, and its a fascinating hypothesis.
  
  Report this comment
- am123
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:41pm
  Skeletons of giants have been discovered in America (and around the world) and the Smithsonian has covered it up because it doesn’t fit in with their monkey-man theory.
  
  Report this comment
- am123
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:58pm
  There were many discoveries of giants in America. Here is just a sampling of newspaper accounts (many from the NY Times no less) from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s:
  
  http://www.sydhav.no/giants/newspapers.htm
  
  Why don’t they discuss this evidence in schools today? Here is why: because it would bring the evolution paradigm into question.
  
  Report this comment
- rikky1
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 11:04pm
  the nephalim according to most biblical scholars are referred to as the Sons of God. the only other references using the Sons of God in Hebrew are 3 times in the book of Daniel and they specifically refer to them as angels. so the prevailing theory is fallen Angels copulated with females to create a sort of super human. this was one of the reasons God destroyed the earth’s inhabitants during the flood.
  
  in regards to radio carbon dating, the practice has so many holes it isn’t worth discussing for those who are 110% in on its authenticity. there are so many factors that can change the amount of carbon in a material that measuring its half life would only be effective if the environmentals are constant, and they assuredly are not going back thousands of years.
  
  Report this comment
ModerationIsBest
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:05pm
Isn’t something like this considered blasphemy on the Blaze?

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- Advection
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:18pm
  That’s a common misunderstanding among ignorant liberal bigots who don’t know History, Science or Philosophy.
  
  Report this comment
- Verceofreason
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:23pm
  You are correct.
  The world is only 6,000 year old and Neanderthal never died out,
  they all work at FOX.
  
  Report this comment
- ModerationIsBest
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:28pm
  @ADVECTION
  
  Wait, I’m the one with the misunderstanding?
  
  All I hear on here is “EVOLUTION IS A LIE, GOD DID IT!”
  
  Report this comment
- Advection
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:39pm
  I didn’t say either of those things.
  
  Report this comment
- mharry860
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:54pm
  MODERATIONISBEST, you need to read and study more. We are a different species from the Neanderthals, related, maybe, but a distinctly different species and no evolution was involved. Deadly Harvest a book about the human diet even acknowledges this.
  
  Report this comment
- ModerationIsBest
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 11:16pm
  @MHARRY860
  
  Nowhere in any of my posts did I say that we evolved from neanderthals.
  
  Report this comment
- Keatonc333
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 12:01am
  The fact that we are not the only hominoid species to walk the earth i think is the point modern is trying to make. we are one of dozens, we are just the only ones that survived this far. all share a direct lineage with humans though. Do Christian blaze readers recognize this?
  
  Report this comment
- 00100111
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 2:18pm
  Dang, so many liberal trolls in one thread. That’s a target rich environment. Quick, someone, lob a molotov cocktail!
  
  Report this comment
Fubared
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:03pm
42000 years my ass. There’s a shload of them over on the good doc piece about twittering.

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am123
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:03pm
Yet again, evolutionists have to get the erasers out. This is what passes for the scientific process nowadays: every few years or even months, evolutionists spin a different tale in order to cover up the fact that they are just making it up as they go along and the theory of evolution is a farce.

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- MRARGUELLES267
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:15pm
  There is numerous evidence to support evolution. That is why is called a scientific theory.
  http://evolution.berkeley.edu/
  http://science.howstuffworks.com/life/evolution/natural-selection1.htm
  
  Report this comment
- Verceofreason
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:28pm
  There is zero evidence to support creationism,
  It’s not even considered a science.
  
  Report this comment
- am123
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:32pm
  If evolution means the gradual change of one kind of organism into another kind, the outstanding characteristic of the fossil record is the absence of evidence for evolution. What the fossil record does support is like begets like, as the Book of Genesis states. So if you want rock solid unchanging truth to stand upon and you want to know how everything came into existence, then seek out the Book of Genesis and the Word of God. But if you want conjecture on where we came from along with fruitless and laughable theories, seek out monkey-men-wannabes who will spin you a laughable yarn, a fanciful tale.
  
  Report this comment
- Advection
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:38pm
  The basic idea of Evolution and Epicureanism was formed in the Bronze Age. Everyone thinks they’re so clever to have rediscovered these ideas, but there is nothing new under the Sun.
  
  Report this comment
- Advection
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:48pm
  @AM123
  
  You’re correct about the fossil record. It certainly doesn’t show what Darwin predicted.
  
  Report this comment
- am123
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 11:03pm
  @ADVECTION,
  
  Exactly. Darwin himself acknowledged that his theory implied that the number of transitional links between all species must be great in number. The excuse for the lack of transitional forms in the fossil record during Darwin’s time was that much of the fossil record was yet to be uncovered. Well, since then we have uncovered quite a bit and no intermediate fossils turned up in the fossil record.
  
  Report this comment
- Keatonc333
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 12:03am
  That is the scientific process… its an ever growing search for answers. are they 100% correct all the time? no! but we can attribute about everything we know about the world and universe around us from science. hate on science if you will, but I for one enjoy knowing what gravity is
  
  Report this comment
- Advection
  Posted on February 6, 2013 at 12:38am
  Darwin was certain the missing fossils would be uncovered, unless his theory was wrong. Well, we’ve now uncovered massive amounts of evidence, and its obvious that species suddenly appear then disappear without ever having changed.
  
  Report this comment
Remember_Benghazi
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:02pm
False. Earth is only a few thousand years old. God told me so.

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- Sol Invictus
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 7:53am
  I said no such thing.
  
  Report this comment
garbagecanlogic
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:01pm
How can they say this…………….there are still lots of democrats hanging around today.

Praise Be To Obama. Psalm 109:8

The U.N. Out Of The U.S.
The U.S. Out Of The U.N.

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LEFTIST_CLOWNS_AND_FAR_RIGHT_JOKERS
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:01pm
“Study Suggests Neanderthals Died Out Earlier Than Previously Thought.”

I beg to differ. I just spent the better part of my night (a rather useless exercise in futility) bantering back and forth with a few of them on that Ron Paul is a TWIT topic.

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Advection
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 9:59pm
Geneticists have told us which human lineages have traces of Neanderthal DNA, and now that may be total BS?

Are you KIDDING me?!

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DZ-015
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 9:58pm
They never died out; rather, they became trolls.

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- RJJinGadsden
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:06pm
  Typical example:
  http://www.theblaze.com/users/yoursensei/
  
  Report this comment
- Fubared
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:13pm
  Bingo.
  
  Report this comment
- Rayblue
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:18pm
  Now THAT was tasty RJ.
  
  Report this comment
- Stelex
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:22pm
  Scientists are clueless. I’m sorry, I’ve been a huge science fan since the age or 8 or so. But over the years I’ve lost any faith in “Scientists” or anything coming out of any college these days. Objectivity is gone, bunch of self serving losers the lot.
  
  Report this comment
- Stelex
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:27pm
  RJJ, note the elongated Thick skull, the jawline. Prime example of pre human. The facial **** and recessed eye’s show the lack of basic intellect that ultimately lead to the thinning of the species. I suspect that the only female example would even take notice of this pathetic male example. Pelosi after all does speak english.
  
  Report this comment
- SovereignSoul
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:32pm
  Darn right! Science has never given us anything!
  
  Report this comment
13th Imam
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 9:54pm
Did Chicago slide into the lake?

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MRARGUELLES267
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 9:49pm
It’s an insult to neanderthals to equal them with the government.

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whatthecrazy
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 9:48pm
Not true there is one lving in the WhiteHouse and it has a mate and some young uns.

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- fastgen1
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 9:56pm
  Yes likely true, but he will never release the records for proof. I would think the kenyon branch of the family……
  
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Clownzilla
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 9:42pm
Neanderthals NEVER died out, we just started calling them Democrats.

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- Mojoron
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 9:49pm
  Clown you stole my line. I’ll add progressive republicans to the list. Long live the TEA party.
  
  Report this comment
- gyro
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 9:50pm
  Stop puting down a great bunch called Neanderthals
  Dont mix them up with a lower form of life !
  
  Report this comment
- Clownzilla
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:05pm
  @Mojoron
  
  Yeah, it was low hanging fruit but I couldn’t resist posting it:)
  
  Report this comment
- YOURSENSEI
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:21pm
  Mr or Ms MOJRON,
  
  This is what you must know:
  
  Too late. The Tea Party is already extinct.
  
  It is so.
  
  Report this comment
banjarmon
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 9:36pm
Neanderthals dead….Can’t be…I saw some today…great BIG bodies and little heads!!!

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YOURSENSEI
Posted on February 4, 2013 at 9:36pm
This is what you must know:

Actually, The Blaze proves they didn’t die out at all. (I’m looking at you, FUBARED.)

It is so.

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- 13th Imam
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 9:52pm
  Isn’t Fubared a little to old a boy from your usual uncomfortable longing gaze?
  
  Report this comment
- Fubared
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:03pm
  I was feeling puckered, sure enough, it’s wangdang again. Do I look fat in these jammies wangdang? Dude or dudette, go bug Monk or RJ…
  
  Report this comment
- AbrahamsSheepdog
  Posted on February 4, 2013 at 10:28pm
  Username, Jerk want in your circle. Wango is the pivot man?
  
  Report this comment
- YOURSENSEI
  Posted on February 5, 2013 at 9:32am
  Mr or Ms ABRAHAMSSHEEPDOG,
  
  This is what you must know:
  
  These terms you use with such knowledge and authority, what do they mean?
  
  It is so.
  
  Report this comment

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