A skeleton of seven-and-a-half year old boy who died 49,000 years ago has revealed new insights into Neanderthal
growth.
A study of his bones suggests our extinct cousins were slow to up, just like modern children.
But owing to their different physiology - such as a larger brain case - Neanderthal children showed some unusual
growth patterns. For instance, Neanderthals had a slightly more extended period of brain growth than modern
humans, the child's brain was roughly 88 per cent the size of an average adult Neanderthal whereas modern
humans tended to have an average 95 per cent of adult brain weight by that age.
Overall, the study suggests Neanderthals and modern growth patterns are surprisingly similar - a discovery that
adds to our understanding of human evolution.
Analysis of a well-preserved 49,00 year old Neanderthal child skeleton suggests vertebrae had not fused by the
age of eight years old, while the same vertebrae in humans tends to fuse between the ages of four or six.
They believe the specimen died at 7.69 years of age and analysts reveals some of the vertebrae had still not
fused properly. Yet these same vertebrae tend to fuse in modern day humans around the age of four to six.
"Prolonged brain growth is a way to distribute energy during a longer period which makes growth easier".
Dr Rosa's told MailOnline.
The child's brain was roughly 88 per cent to he size of an average adult Neanderthal whereas modern humans
tended to have on average 95 per cent of adult brain weight by that age.
The well - preserved skeleton, dubbed El Sidron J1, was found in a Spanish cave of the same name in the 1900's
along with a dozen of his family members. Researcher Antonio Rosas and colleagues from El Museo Nacional de
Ciencias Naturales studied the specimen, dubbed had mix of baby and adult teeth.
This provided them with a rare opportunity to estimate the age at death by looking at small markings preserved
in teeth, but the research suggests that the extended development of brain and spinal growth was a result of
Neanderthals unique body and physiology.
The brain is an expensive organ which demands energy for growing and working.
This is the biological strategy that higher primate-especially humans-have developed in evolution.
By Phoebe Weston For MaLion line-21st Sep, 2017
An artist's impression of a Neanderthal man, our closest human relatives that lived in Europe and Asia from
around 2000,000 years ago to 30,000 years ago.
