Are Neanderthals us?

A guy named Joachim Neander lived in a German valley about 400 years ago. He was a bigwig in the valley, and it came to be called “Neander’s Valley” or, in German, “Neanderhohle.” The name evolved with the language, and it morphed into “Neandertal” or “Neanderthal.” (Pseudo-linguists still debate which is right.)

In a weird coincidence, the Neanderthal Valley is where they first discovered fossilized remains of an ancient human called “Neanderthal.” (What are the odds of that?)

The fossils suggested that this particular Neanderthal was no ordinary human. He/she/they/it was very sturdy. The people who found him decided he was brute, in a bad way. He became the prototypical caveman.

Never mind that caves were the best homes available at the time this Neanderthal lived – certainly better than a sidewalk tent.

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