In a message dated 6/20/99 10:54:38 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

<<
 Guys, calm down. Just because you're on Paleo diets doesn't mean you can
behave like Neanderthals!
 Ben Balzer
  >>
Speaking of Neanderthals, I came across this December 1997 issue of Discover
Magazine containing an article entitled "Atapuerca," written by Robert
Kunzig.  The piece is re the remains of an 11-yr-old child who died 800,000
years ago in northern Spain.  Somewhere toward the end of the article is this
statement:  "A hundred and forty years after the discovery of the 1st
Neanderthal fossils, there is still no consensus on who the Neanderthals were
-- were they our ancestors or another species entirely who vanished w/o a
trace? The evidence lately seems to favor the later hypothesis; just this
year, for instance, DNA was extracted from one of the original Neanderthal
bones and was found to be quite different from modern human DNA."  It goes on
to say that, "Between the 'classic' Neanderthals of 100,000 years ago and the
earliest Homo fossils in Africa, there is a gap of around 1.5 million years
that is sprinkled with just a few bones.  The people who believe Neanderthals
evolved into modern humans in Europe believe the same process happened
elsewhere; modern humans evolved simultaneously in several regions of the
world, they say, from populations of Homo Erectus, after it fanned out from
Africa.  On the other side, the people who believe Neanderthals went extinct
after being replaced in Europe by modern humans also believe the same process
happened elsewhere; everywhere in the world, they say, premodern humans were
replaced by modern Homo sapiens which evolved only in Africa and then spread
from that continent -- a second migration -- around 100,000 years ago."

I haven't studied anthropology at any length, and don't feel qualified to
form an opinion either way, however, thought it was interesting because the
latter theory of us evolving as a different species from Neanderthals seems
to now be highlighted by the use of DNA. I brought this up because it took me
by surprise.  I have always subscribed to the theory we were, without a
doubt, related.  I didn't realize there was any controversy over it.  Some of
you on this list might have some insight here.  Ray?

Janet