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"DER SPIEGEL: ... in other words, dogs resemble wolf pups, just as we resemble Neanderthals who never reached adulthood?" ... that is a spectacular misunderstan
by a0-prw 8y ago
"DER SPIEGEL: ... in other words, dogs resemble wolf pups, just as we resemble Neanderthals who never reached adulthood?" ... that is a spectacular misunderstanding.
- ncmncm 8y agoLet's say "metaphorical". Immature neanderthals didn't have protruding chins, and neanderthals were not our principal ancestors. But our actual adult ancestors did have bigger teeth and heavier bones than we do, like Neanderthals, and immature ones of them were more like us. They would better have said "cavemen" than "Neanderthals", but they would have been beat up for that too. I just appreciated them allowing Wrangham lots of column-inches to touch on a broad range of surprising observations.