Pipedal Locomotion In Neanderthals

Based on certain morphological bone structure and the presence of bipedal locomotion in Neanderthals has made it possible to classify them as part of Modern Humans’ family tree/ phylogenetic tree. The time of their existence also contributes to this classification; making Neanderthals the closest related Hominids to modern humans (Noonan, 2010: 547). However, even with that acknowledgment, there are constant debates about Neanderthals relationship to modern humans and if they are the direct ancestors of what we considered modern Europeans, if they contributed some genes to our species, modern humans, or if they were fully replaced by modern humans without gene contribution (Krings et. al., 1997: 19).

These debates have brought up many studies

on the remains of Neanderthals that have been found; specifically, DNA sequencing projects conducted by numerous researchers. This idea of sequencing DNA has been incorporated to ancient DNA and advanced through High-throughput 454 (Noonan, 2010: 549). The reason for the implementation of High-throughput 454 is because it makes it easier and possible to get mitochondrial genomes from ancient DNA especially since there are several hundred mtDNA per nuclear genome (Noonan, 2010: 547, Green et. al, 2008: 416). This is hugely important because this could provide us with a greater understanding of our lineage and better apply the ideas of Natural Selection, extinction, and variation that Charles Darwin explains in On The Origin of Species.
The analyzing of Neanderthal remains and DNA sequencing has found that the most probable answer for the correlation between modern humans and Neanderthals is that they were a separate species at the time, who then became extinct without contributing any of its genes to modern humans (Krings et. al., 1997: 19). This study and findings were done based on a 3.5 g section of a right humerus from a fossil. They studied parts of cortical bone and surfaces from the marrow cavity, by hydrolyzing them in acidic conditions, of which results show to have 20-73% of amino acids present in modern bone. This was done in order to compare the similarities in bone structure and to see if there was sufficient DNA to analyze or collect sufficient data from. The amino acids, which were found in three of the bone samples, had a glycine ratio to aspartic acid and D to L enantiomers of aspartic acid between .11 and .12 that shows DNA survival (Krings et. al., 1997: 20). With the presence of those amino acids in those portions they were able to analyze the sequence variation of the amplified product.
With the amplified products and the sequence we are now able to compare the data, Neanderthal DNA to modern human DNA.

Not only was the data compared to human DNA but with chimpanzee DNA, in order to see the closeness or related ness to modern humans. Results based on Krings’ study show “that Neanderthal sequence diverged from the lineage leading to the current human mtDNA gene pool well before the time of the most recent common ancestor of human mtDNAs” (1997: 25). Based on the results from this sequencing they continue to support the idea that modern humans as a species started in Africa as a different species; which then replaced Neanderthals with little to no interbreeding (Krings et. al., 1997:

27).
The results from sequencing placed Neanderthals outside of modern human variation, the out-group on a phylogenetic tree. That being said we can see some incorporation of Darwin’s theory of Natural Selection in an implicit way. Through out the Article they mention that Neanderthals fall outside of the modern human variation. Which supports the idea that they are two different species in the same lineage living at around the same time. Although, the work does not mention Darwin, his ideas are expressed through out the article and their experiment because based on what we know from Darwin’s rules of natural selection; we understand that there is a preservation of the favorable variations and a rejection to the not so favorable variations (Darwin, 1859: 79). This is related to the article because if there were a form of interbreeding between the two species, the least favorable traits would be those of Neanderthals.
In addition, the extinction of Neanderthal only continues to support Darwin’s natural selection, the struggle for existence; which is composed of two things survival of oneself and being able to leave an offspring (Darwin, 1859: 64).

We can also assume that since the modern human species diverged after the Neanderthal species, the modern human species took over and was one of the major competitors to Neanderthals as supposed to interbreeding with them. In addition, we can also say that there was an abundance of modern human species in comparison to Neanderthals allowing modern humans the best opportunity to reproduce within any given period, passing on favorable variations. Darwin’s theory of natural selection (1859) supports this assumption when he

states:
“Hence, rare species will be less quickly modified or improved within any given period, and they will consequently be beaten in the race for life by the modified descendants of the commoner species. From these several considerations I think it inevitably follows, that as new species in the course of time are formed through natural selection, others will become rarer and rarer, and finally extinct. The forms which stand in closest competition with those undergoing modification and improvement, will naturally suffer most. And we have seen in the chapter on the Struggle for Existence that it is the most closely-allied forms, varieties of the same species, and species of the same genus or of related genera,—which, from having nearly the same structure, constitution, and habits, generally come into the severest competition with each other. Consequently, each new variety or species, during the progress of its formation, will generally press hardest on its nearest kindred, and tend to exterminate them” (105).
Unlike the previous article that was stated earlier, the other article written by Noonan talks more about the interbreeding of Neanderthals and modern human and the possibilities; the article questions if it actually even happened, how it happened if it did, how often, and to which extent (Noonan, 2010: 548). The reason this continues to be questioned is because the first modern humans to colonize Europe, the general location where most Neanderthals were located, are known to have cognitive skills similar to that of humans today, are linked to cave paintings, figurines, and rudimentary musical instruments; they also most likely spoke (Noonan, 2010: 548). So then the question and debates on if Neanderthals spoke arise. People constantly struggle to prove or disprove this because people say that Neanderthals did have language, all based on significant anatomical features that they share with humans. In addition, it is known that Neanderthals had larger brains than modern humans and made artifacts so there could be a high possibility of language.