Neanderthal Secrets: 11 Things You Didn’t Know About Our Extinct Cousins

It’s been over 40,000 years since the last Homo neanderthalensis—or Neanderthals—vanished from existence. As our closest human relative, the Neanderthal continues to intrigue both scientists and the curious, like an anthropological version of a distant, eccentric uncle—if that uncle had a strange, elongated skull that looked more like a xenomorph’s.

If you’re unfamiliar with this ancient species, we’ve gathered a selection of facts that offer a glimpse into their rich past, their surprisingly sharp intellect, and their occasional willingness to feast on human flesh—though only out of necessity.

The discovery of Neanderthals didn’t occur until the 19th century.

Neanderthals are thought to have emerged in Europe and Asia around 400,000 years ago. However, it took modern history quite a while to recognize their existence. It wasn’t until 1856 that a partial skeleton was unearthed in Germany’s Neander Valley, which led scientists to identify the species and name it after the location. (Although a few Neanderthal bones—including a female skull—had been discovered earlier, they weren’t properly recognized until later.)

Neanderthals might have been well-suited to survive in cold climates.

Unlike your average Florida snowbird, Neanderthals were expertly adapted to icy environments. Having evolved from the warmer Mediterranean climates to endure the extreme cold of Ice Age Europe and Siberia over millennia, they developed features suited for cold survival. Their wider-than-average noses—much broader than those of Homo sapiens—may have helped warm and moisten the cold air before it entered their lungs. Their relatively shorter stature (around 5 feet) might also have helped them conserve body heat in frigid conditions.

However, not all scientists share this view. A 2011 paper in the Journal of Human Evolution suggested that sinuses might shrink in cold weather, calling into question the evolutionary significance of their enlargement. Additionally, some 3D reconstructions of Neanderthal faces reveal features that appear proportionate.

Despite their reputation, Neanderthals were quite intelligent and cultured individuals.

It’s common to label someone with impolite, antisocial, or ignorant behavior a 'Neanderthal,' assuming they are akin to a caveman. However, this stereotype is far from accurate. While early anthropologists hastily classified them as 'primitive,' ongoing research has shown that Neanderthals were far more advanced than once believed. Their neocortex, the brain region responsible for emotion and cognition, was approximately the same size as that of modern humans. They could start fires, cared for injured clan members, and even practiced burial rituals. (The latter proved invaluable for later research as buried fossils are more likely to survive through the ages.)

That said, some Neanderthals did engage in cannibalism.

Nothing derails the argument that Neanderthals weren’t as 'primitive' as often thought more than the uncomfortable evidence of cannibalism. While Neanderthals mainly ate animal meat and plants, some remains have shown signs of defleshing and other butchery techniques, suggesting they consumed members of their own species. Scientists emphasize that this was rare, likely occurring only in extreme situations, such as starvation. Homo sapiens have been known to exhibit similar behaviors as well.

Neanderthals were likely capable of speech—but that doesn’t necessarily mean they used it.

One of the greatest mysteries surrounding Neanderthals is whether they had a spoken language, a question impossible to confirm through fossils. Studies show that Neanderthals had the bone structure compatible with hearing frequencies that would allow them to perceive human speech.

Even though they could have heard speech and possibly produced words, that doesn’t imply they actually did. It’s possible that Neanderthals developed physical traits for producing sounds more akin to animal mating calls.

Neanderthals likely had an appreciation for art.

A key element of cognition is the ability for conceptual thought, often expressed through art. Though rare, there is evidence to suggest that Neanderthals may have had their own version of a 'Bob Ross.' Cave paintings and other forms of art are believed to have been created by them, though the purpose remains unclear. For instance, a hyena bone found in France was engraved in a way that suggests intentional meaning, but scientists are still unsure whether this was done for aesthetic reasons or by accident—much like modern art itself.

Neanderthals were social beings.

Neanderthals often formed settlements with up to two dozen of their relatives, whether to seek shelter from the cold or for companionship. These groups would sometimes engage with others, potentially to gather resources.

However, these communities weren’t always peaceful. Many Neanderthal remains show signs of broken bones and other injuries, suggesting conflicts and warfare. Like other extinct human species, their life expectancy sharply declined after the age of 40. Despite this, Neanderthal groups are believed to have provided care for sick or injured members, offering wound treatments and medicinal plants.

They didn’t hunch over.

The image of the slouching Neanderthal still lingers, but it’s actually more probable that their posture was better than that of the typical desk worker. A nearly complete Neanderthal skeleton found in Israel in 1983 served as the basis for a 2018 digital reconstruction of the thorax (ribcage and spine). The findings revealed that their spine was straight, and the ribs seemed to support a larger pair of lungs compared to those of modern humans.

Neanderthals and modern humans interbred.

Before their eventual extinction, Neanderthals mated with Homo sapiens. (Interbreeding refers to mating between members of the same genus, while inbreeding involves animals with similar genetic traits.) How do we know this? Between 1 and 4 percent of the DNA of modern Europeans and Asians contains Neanderthal genes.

Neanderthals also interbred with Denisovans, another group of human ancestors that disappeared about 30,000 years ago. The Denisovans were named after the Denisova cave in Siberia, where their bone fragments were first discovered. In 2018, a sample was analyzed from a girl whose father was a Denisovan and mother a Neanderthal.

The exact reasons for the extinction of the Neanderthals remain unclear.

For a species known for its resourcefulness and intelligence, it’s somewhat surprising that Neanderthals didn’t survive. Some paleoanthropologists suggest that despite their ability to adapt, the harsh cold of certain climates may have been too much to handle, causing their population to dwindle in cycles. Others argue that Homo sapiens may have been too aggressive and inventive, using long-range weapons that outmatched the Neanderthals’ strong, stocky builds. Alternatively, diseases to which modern humans had developed resistance could have overwhelmed the Neanderthal immune system.

You might not be saying 'Neanderthal' the right way.

Saying 'Neanderthal' as 'Nee-AN-der-thall' might look and sound correct, but it’s not. The proper pronunciation is 'Nee-AN-der-tall.' The species was named after the Neander Valley, where 'thal' was the German word for 'valley' at the time, and the 'h' is silent. However, not everyone believes words should be pronounced according to their original language. Don’t be judged as a caveman for pronouncing it 'Nee-AN-der-tall.'