Reacción a "The last Neanderthals in northwestern Europe had greater genetic diversity than previously thought"

Is the study of high quality?

“Yes, it is a serious piece of work undertaken primarily by a group of paleogeneticists with extensive experience and strong ties to research groups working on this topic.”

Are there any limitations to keep in mind?

“Yes, I regret having to make the same point again: the lack of integration of genetic data with the archaeological information we have on this area of study. Generally, studies published in high-impact journals tend to prioritize information obtained through genetic analyses over comprehensive studies or those that take archaeological data into account. This does not detract from the value of this study, which is undoubtedly of great interest on a genetic scale.”

What are its implications, and how does it fit with existing evidence?

“It’s very interesting because it allows us to understand demographic and behavioral models that can be correlated with variables on an archaeological scale and contribute to our understanding of the processes of territorialization, mobility, and extinction in these groups.”

The study argues that Neanderthals were genetically diverse, which contradicts the notion that low genetic variability was the main cause of their extinction. Could this finding change the theory regarding the end of the Neanderthals?

“The degree of variability and its relationship to the isolation of these groups is not entirely clear. In any case, the study leaves the door open to considering cultural factors as triggers for the process of extinction and isolation, and rules out other previous proposals.”