Neanderthals Died Because of Their Big Eyes, Scientists Say

Several previous studies have shown that, as far as size is concerned, the brains of Neanderthals were not all that different from the ones belonging to modern humans. Still, a new research argues that the Neanderthal brain was structured in ways that ultimately caused them to become extinct.

More precisely, a team of scientists working with the University of Oxford and the Natural History Museum in London now claim that, unlike modern humans, Neanderthals first and foremost used their brains to interpret visual cues received from their surrounding environment.

This assumption is based on fossil evidence which proves that this species used to have rather large eye sockets, and therefore must have also had oversized eyes.

Furthermore, a large portion of their brain served to help them navigate their surroundings, the researchers believe.

Despite the fact that these two features enabled Neanderthals to survive in a rather hostile environment, it is being said that their mainly using their brain to see and move also led to their demise.

This is because the Neanderthal brain never got the chance to work on developing the higher level of thinking needed in order for them to begin socializing with one another and form larger groups.

According to Indian Express, the inability to function in communities made up of several individuals translated into the species not being able to survive on the longer run.

Commenting on the findings of this new research into how and why Neanderthals eventually fell off the biodiversity map, study lead author Eiluned Pearce argued as follows:

“Since Neanderthals evolved at higher latitudes and also have bigger bodies than modern humans, more of the Neanderthal brain would have been dedicated to vision and body control, leaving less brain to deal with other functions like social networking.”

“Smaller social groups might have made Neanderthals less able to cope with the difficulties of their harsh Eurasian environments because they would have had fewer friends to help them out in times of need,” Eiluned Pearce went on to say.

The study pieced together by these scientists was made available to the public in the scientific journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.