Meet the ancestors - Neandethals

[everydayupsanddowns]

Watched both parts of this fascinating programme on iPlayer last night. Neanderthals were not the knuckle-dragging simpletons they have often been painted it seems. Large brains, probably complex language for coordinated hunting, stronger and faster than modern humans, some hints at arts and abstract thinking. They also had some specific adaptations to living in Europe.

What really interested me was that on average we all have 2% Neanderthal DNA (of different bits of their genome). And depending on which bits you have it can have a profound effect on your physiology. Their adaptations to making it through long winters with little food, for example, altered the way they stored fat and processed carbohydrate and sugars.

 

[khskel]

Watched both parts of this fascinating programme on iPlayer last night. Neanderthals were not the knuckle-dragging simpletons they have often been painted it seems. Large brains, probably complex language for coordinated hunting, stronger and faster than modern humans, some hints at arts and abstract thinking. They also had some specific adaptations to living in Europe.

What really interested me was that on average we all have 2% Neanderthal DNA (of different bits of their genome). And depending on which bits you have it can have a profound effect on your physiology. Their adaptations to making it through long winters with little food, for example, altered the way they stored fat and processed carbohydrate and sugars.

I must catch up on that. Wanted to watch it but was outvoted.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I must catch up on that. Wanted to watch it but was outvoted.

It left me a bit sad if I’m honest. Apparently this time in history is very rare, with only one species of hominid on the planet. Earlier, now extinct, species lived for a hundred thousand years in harmony with the planet, and in a fraction of the time modern humans have brought the planet to the brink of disaster.

 

[kentish maid]

Fascinating programme, one of the very few things on TV that has been worth watching recently. Did you see My Year With The Tribe? Some guy called Will Millard went out to Papua, Indonesia. His visits cause all sorts of tensions and disruption to a community not really ready to embrace the 21st Century

 

[trophywench]

Saw both of them.

Re Neanderthals we said had they known how 'we' were going to wreck the planet, they might not have been in such a hurry to interbreed and wipe themselves out!

Depends really whether the location of the male brain was already where it's situated now doesn't it? Miaou.

 

[Ljc]

Thanks I missed this before. Will watch it later.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

Fascinating programme, one of the very few things on TV that has been worth watching recently. Did you see My Year With The Tribe? Some guy called Will Millard went out to Papua, Indonesia. His visits cause all sorts of tensions and disruption to a community not really ready to embrace the 21st Century

I had seen it on, but not caught it KM. Sounds interesting.

 

[C&E Guy]

I can vouch that there are still some knuckle-dragging simpletons about today.

Many of them are in my workplace!!!

 

[temporary_spike]

dare I say it, @C&E Guy you don't work for the government do you?!

 

[Carolg]

I can vouch that there are still some knuckle-dragging simpletons about today.

Many of them are in my workplace!!!

Does that include the ones in my neck of the woods

 

[C&E Guy]

Does that include the ones in my neck of the woods

No, Carol.

There was a joke here that a big Hollywood blockbuster was going to be made. One of these Zombie apocalypse ones. There are loads of extras near here who won't need any make-up!!!!!

 

[mikeyB]

I thought you lived in a leafy part of the Central Belt, C&E Guy, not Hamilton.

 

[everydayupsanddowns]

I thought you lived in a leafy part of the Central Belt, C&E Guy, not Hamilton.

I thought everyone in Hamilton was an academic? Or is that only the ones they choose for the footy team?

 

[mikeyB]

Tha Accies are the Neanderthals, Mike.

 

[C&E Guy]

I do live in a leafy suburb in the north of the city. Some may even describe it as "posh".

But I work on the other side of the river. It's a different world over here!!

Mind you, I worked down in Ayrshire for 7 years. They speak a whole different language down there!!