Dutch Uncle
* Tertia Optio * Defend the Constitution
The strongest theory about the demise of Neanderthals which I've read.
The Laschamp event was the reduction of the Earth's magnetic field to about 10% of present strength about 42,000 years ago. This also coincides with the demise of the Neanderthals.
A repeat of the Laschamp excursion would be disasterous for modern human civilization since it would take out both our satellites and our power grid. A failure of the grid would result in massive famine with up to 7.5B humans dying in the first year or two.
In addition to clothing, Homo sapiens increasingly used ochre—a reddish pigment made of iron oxide, clay, and silica—during this period. When applied to the skin, ochre offers natural protection against the sun.
These adaptations likely gave Homo sapiens an edge over Neanderthals, who did not seem to adopt similar sun protection measures. Some researchers believe the harsh environmental conditions brought on by the Laschamps excursion contributed to Neanderthal extinction, as their inability to adapt to increased radiation would have had lethal consequences. Scientists have been searching for reasons to explain why Neanderthals and Homo sapies met such divergent fates around 40,000 years ago, and different responses to an environmental emergency could certainly explain it.
The Laschamp event was the reduction of the Earth's magnetic field to about 10% of present strength about 42,000 years ago. This also coincides with the demise of the Neanderthals.
A repeat of the Laschamp excursion would be disasterous for modern human civilization since it would take out both our satellites and our power grid. A failure of the grid would result in massive famine with up to 7.5B humans dying in the first year or two.
Two Closely Related Species, and Two Wildly Divergent Fates
Archaeological records indicate that Homo sapiens began creating tailored clothing during this time, using tools such as needles and hide scrapers. Raven Garvey, an anthropologist at the University of Michigan, noted in Discover Magazine that this clothing likely served a dual purpose. “Tailored clothing could have also provided another unintended benefit—protection from sun damage,” she said.In addition to clothing, Homo sapiens increasingly used ochre—a reddish pigment made of iron oxide, clay, and silica—during this period. When applied to the skin, ochre offers natural protection against the sun.
These adaptations likely gave Homo sapiens an edge over Neanderthals, who did not seem to adopt similar sun protection measures. Some researchers believe the harsh environmental conditions brought on by the Laschamps excursion contributed to Neanderthal extinction, as their inability to adapt to increased radiation would have had lethal consequences. Scientists have been searching for reasons to explain why Neanderthals and Homo sapies met such divergent fates around 40,000 years ago, and different responses to an environmental emergency could certainly explain it.
