About 40,000 years ago when modern man arrived from Africa, he suddenly outnumbered 10 to 1 the Neanderthals who had settled in Europe several hundred thousand years earlier. This would have pushed the Neanderthals out to subsist on the least desirable land. The number of sites, the larger size of the sites and the density of tools in each site, show that the newcomers from Africa immediately got the upper hand. Elaborate cultural objects are only associated with modern man and resemble ones dating back another 20,000 years but found only in Africa. (Science Daily News story) The dates vary from article to article, some give a range of years, others pick a midpoint.Earlier explanations have noted the newcomers had superior weapons, they competed for the same fuel and animals, and some warfare likely occurred.
Contra this: Neanderthals may have been more innovative than previously believed.
There was some interbreeding because part of the modern human X chromosome comes from Neanderthals and hasn't been found in Africa. Interesting report dated July 18 at Science Daily News.
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