Y: A listener writes in "Dear AMOS, the Neanderthals were smart, tough, and 

well-adapted to the cold where they lived in regions north of Africa. So, what happened to them?

 

D: That's one of our favorite questions, and there're several possible answers. Some scientists have argued that when modern humans left Africa, they interbred with Neanderthals. Others have argued that modern humans wiped out Neanderthals by out competing them for resources and by waging war.

 

Y: But here's a different theory. Neanderthals died out because they lacked skills in clothing design.

 

D: Wait, what? Neanderthals?

 

Y: I read about it in "World Archaeology". Here is the idea. Neanderthals disappeared about 35,000 years ago. That's just before the Last Glacial Maximum--a period when there was a sudden drop in temperature and glaciers advanced. Now, because Neanderthals had evolved to live in cool northern climates, they'd had no need to invent tools that would allow them to make complex, multi-layered clothing. So when suddenly got really cold, they were caught with their pants down, so to speak.

 

D: You mean they froze to death?

 

Y: Right. But modern humans were more vulnerable to the cold, so those living in cooler parts of northern Africa had long before the glacial maximum developed tools like needles and stone blades for sewing warmer, multi-layered cloths, including undergarments. So when the maximum hit, modern humans were better able to stay warm.

 

D: Interesting theory