Some Neanderthals may have had red hair and white skin

by Corina Ciubotaru

A recent study shows that some Neanderthals living in Europe would have had red hair and pale skin. Although many believe early humans were dark-colored, scientists have discovered a gene mutation in Neanderthals that is responsible for fair skin in modern humans, thus proving that a handful of them actually looked more like Celtic people than the dark-haired, dark-skinned image we all take for granted. Another study involving Neanderthals showed last week that they were in fact able to speak; these findings came after scientists analyzed DNA of these early humans and other research found they were caring to each other, used animal hides to keep warm and were also good hunters. Neanderthals have been replaced by modern humans in Europe around 30,000 years ago after having been the only humans since 400,000 years before, but some scientists claim the two species coexisted until around 24,000 years ago. This is only the beginning of explorations regarding these early humans, and they are some of the first done using DNA analysis, a method that can provide more accurate and detailed information than the study of fossils alone. The genetic material came from some bones found at Monte Lessini in Italy and in El Sidron cave in Spain. Currently less than 2 percent of the world's population has red hair. Pale skin allows the body to absorb more of the Sun's rays and thus produce more Vitamin D, and it was an important adaptation for Neanderthals living in mostly cloudy regions of Europe.

related story: http://uk.news.yahoo.com/afp/20071025/tsc-science-neanderthals-us-e123fef_1.html

by Corina Ciubotaru for PocketNews (http://pocketnews.tv)

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