We Underestimated the Neanderthal

Pop culture has not been kind to the Neanderthal. In books, movies and even TV commercials, the species is portrayed as rough and mindless, a brutish type that was rightly supplanted by our Homo sapiens ancestors.

But even 40,000 years after the last Neanderthals walked the earth, we continue to make discoveries that challenge that portrayal. New research suggests Neanderthals might have been less primitive — and a lot more like modern humans — than we might have thought.

The Times science reporters Carl Zimmer and Franz Lidz discuss recent discoveries about Neanderthals, and what those discoveries can tell us about the origins of humanity.

On Today’s Episode:

Carl Zimmer writes the Origins column and covers news about science for The Times.

Franz Lidz writes about archaeology for The Times.

Background Reading:

The Year in Neanderthals

Morning Person? You Might Have Neanderthal Genes to Thank.

What Makes Your Brain Different From a Neanderthal’s?

The Neanderthal Inside Us

Photo: Frank Franklin II/Associated Press

For more information on today’s episode, visit nytimes.com/thedaily. Transcripts of each episode will be made available by the next workday.

Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(2968)

The Intertwined Legacies of Gloria Steinem and Dolly Parton

Gloria Steinem, the feminist icon and co-founder of Ms. magazine, died on Wednesday at her home in Manhattan. Her death came as many were still grieving the loss of another iconic woman: Dolly Parton....

4 Sep 30min

A.I. Is Outsmarting Its Creators

From the start, the greatest fear for those developing artificial intelligence was that their creations would go rogue to act in unauthorized and dangerous ways. Some researchers now say it has happen...

3 Sep 40min

The Fight for the West Bank

Over the past year, there has been an increase in violence in the West Bank. Israeli settlers have terrorized Palestinians, set fire to their property, uprooted their olive groves and stolen their ani...

2 Sep 28min

How a Teenager Found Undiagnosed Brain Injuries in the Military

Warning: this episode contains mentions of suicide. New reporting has found that the impact of rough sea waves on rescue-boat crews in the Coast Guard can lead to long-term effects, including traumati...

1 Sep 38min

How Flock Cameras Took Over America

This summer, Fernando Alfonso, the Texas editor for The New York Times, got in a car with a man named Philip. They drove around the suburban streets of Dallas searching for traffic cameras — not for a...

31 Aug 29min

Who Will Rule the 2026 U.S. Open?

The U.S. Open, the final tournament of the tennis season, is getting underway. The world’s best players are heading to the U.S.T.A. Billie Jean King National Tennis Center in Queens, N.Y., to battle i...

30 Aug 38min

Ina Garten Says You Can Either Get on Her Train or Get Out of the Way

At 78, the cookbook author and Food Network host knows what she likes, knows what she wants and isn’t stopping anytime soon. Thoughts? Email us at theinterview@nytimes.com Watch our show on YouTube...

29 Aug 37min

Lindsay Clancy Is on Trial. So Is Postpartum Psychosis.

Warning: this episode mentions suicide. The trial of Lindsay Clancy, a mother who is being tried for the killings of her three young children, has captivated the country for weeks. It has also raised ...

28 Aug 32min