About this: "Studies of these bones’ isotopes have shown Neanderthals in northern Europe got 80-90% of their protein from animals. That’s up there with the wol

About this: "Studies of these bones’ isotopes have shown Neanderthals in northern Europe got 80-90% of their protein from animals. That’s up there with the wolves and hyenas. In the arid southern parts of Europe we’re not so lucky. Collagen in fossil bone easily disintegrates in warmer climates, taking with it the clues to southern Neanderthals’ diets." So did wolves also go extinct in Europe at this time? If not, this theory is incomplete at best. Also, it is worth noting, many DNA studies have been done, trying to find some trace of Sapien DNA in modern populations, left over from the Homo Sapiens who arrived in Europe 40,000 years ago. No trace has been found. So the question isn't "Why did Homo Neanderthals go extinct at the end of the Ice Age" but rather, the correct question is "Why did all forms of human go extinct in northern Eurasia at the end of the Ice Age?" Because both Neanderthals and Sapiens both went extinct in northern Eurasia. Also Denisovan and also any remaining Homo Heidelbergensis. About 15,000 years ago, Europe was then repopulated by Homo Sapiens who lived further south. While it is easy to find DNA signals from the population 15,000 years ago, surviving in the modern population, it has been impossible to find widespread traces of older Sapien DNA surviving in the modern population. (The implication is that even Neanderthal DNA that survives in Sapiens does so because of matings that happened further south, perhaps in the MidEast.)