The extinction of Neanderthals remains a topic of debate. Some theories suggest that competition with Homo sapiens, climate change or even assimilation through interbreeding led to their decline.
Other research suggests that disease transmission from Homo sapiens and declining fertility rates in Neanderthals may have contributed to their disappearance.
As humans evolved, the ability to innovate, create complex societies and adapt to various environments may have given modern humans a survival advantage.
Studying human origins through Neanderthal fossils, genetic research and archaeological evidence continues to shed light on how humans evolved and what makes us unique as a species. And while Neanderthals are no longer around, their influence on modern humans remains evident in our DNA and shared history.
We created this article in conjunction with AI technology, then made sure it was fact-checked and edited by a HowStuffWorks editor.
