Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) were a species of ancient humans who lived across Europe and parts of western Asia for hundreds of thousands of years. As the closest extinct relatives of modern humans, they share roughly 99.7% of our DNA, and many people today still carry small amounts of Neanderthal genetic material—evidence of interbreeding between the two groups. Neanderthals were skilled toolmakers, capable hunters, and adaptable beings who survived harsh Ice Age environments.
They created sophisticated stone tools, controlled fire, and may have engaged in symbolic behavior such as burying their dead or creating simple art. Although they vanished around 40,000 years ago, likely due to a combination of climate change and competition with Homo sapiens, their genetic legacy lives on in modern human populations, offering important insights into human evolution. Neanderthals (Homo neanderthalensis) occupied a crucial branch on the human family tree. Emerging roughly 400,000 years ago, they evolved in the cold, challenging environments of Ice Age Europe and western Asia.
