The extinction of Neanderthals, occurring around 40,000 years ago, is attributed to a combination of factors including climate change, competition with Homo sapiens, and possible interbreeding. This complex event highlights the interplay between environmental pressures and species interactions in shaping human evolution.

Neanderthal Extinction

Extinction of Neanderthals

Climate change refers to significant, long-term changes in the global climate, largely driven by human activities such as burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial processes. It results in global warming, extreme weather events, sea level rise, and disruptions to ecosystems, affecting biodiversity and human societies worldwide.

Climate Change

Competition with Homo sapiens

Interbreeding refers to the process where individuals from different species, subspecies, or genetic populations mate and produce offspring. This can lead to hybrid vigor or outbreeding depression, influencing biodiversity and evolutionary trajectories.

Interbreeding

Environmental pressures are external factors that can influence the survival, behavior, and evolution of organisms or systems. These pressures can be natural or anthropogenic, leading to adaptation, migration, or extinction in response to changing conditions.

Environmental Pressures

Species interactions are the various ways organisms in an ecosystem affect each other's survival and reproduction, shaping community dynamics and ecosystem functions. These interactions can be beneficial, harmful, or neutral, and include competition, predation, mutualism, commensalism, and parasitism, each playing a crucial role in maintaining ecological balance.

Species Interactions

Human evolution is the lengthy process of change by which people originated from apelike ancestors, involving the development of traits such as bipedalism, larger brain size, and complex tool use over millions of years. This evolutionary journey is evidenced by fossil records, genetic studies, and comparative anatomy, providing insights into our biological and cultural origins.

Concepts

Relevant Degrees

Your Lessons