Thread: species (human)

There is strong evidence that modern humans interbred with Neanderthals and Denisovians. Shouldn't all three be classified as one specie with homo sapiens as a sub-specie?

Depends on whos definition of species and subspecies one uses. and how politic one wants to be about taxonomic subdivisions of Homonini member taxa

Side question: Why aren't the oldest European cave paintings from Neanderthal cultures? They older artwork seems to be of much higher quality than younger ones, which could be explained by Neanderthals having much larger brains than contemporary and later sapiens. So maybe the younger artwork of less naturalistic quality is copy work by later sapiens cultures with a smaller brain and therefore lesser artistic capability?



Chauvet Cave, 31,000 BP


Altamira, 30,000 BP


Lascaux, 15,000 BP


Rouffignac, 14,000 BP

Cave Art, Ice Age: Characteristics, Types, Meaning

Is there any archeological way to falsify any connection between Neanderthals and paleolithic art?

Not unless one invokes a "MASSIVE GLOBAL CONSPIRACY" that kills off any researcher that notes the artists is different.