20. Neanderthal Mental development

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Although Neanderthals were the most advanced hominids of their time, they did reach their limits in mental development which eventually lead to their ultimate extinction. Despite the Neanderthals' ability to develop advanced tools for their time, they had little interest in further experimentation for tools and other factors of life. "They seemed to have little interest in traveling outside of their own immediate environment; the stone with which they made their tools came only from rocks in the immediate vicinity. They did not take advantage of seasonal migration of animals preferring to only hunt familiar animals." For example, because the Neanderthals only hunted what they were used to, they failed to realize the benefits of seasonal hunting. Although larger animals that they had hunted previously, like mammoths, were around yearly, they missed the benefits of seasonal hunting, which would have kept them fed throughout the year. They were incapable of conceiving this concept because "the Neanderthal while perfectly adapted to its environment did not have the capability of planning long range. They survived by dealing with the immediate environment." Because the Neanderthals were so perfectly adapted to their harshly cold environment in Europe, they were unable to adapt to coming changes and warmer temperatures, ultimately leading them to extinction.

Image from: http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species/homo-neanderthalensis

To learn more about Neanderthals, please visit: http://humanorigins.si.edu/evidence/human-fossils/species/homo-neanderthalensis OR http://www.britannica.com/topic/Neanderthal

Sources:

"Physical Origins of Hominids." Origins. Comp. Rosie Beniretto. Ed. Ganesa Collins. Houston, Texas: St. John's School, 2015-2016. 36. Print.

- Lily McCullough