Climate Change

Remember my early post entitled "how close"? In class, Maher suggested that Neanderthal and AMH population turnovers in the Levant were closely linked to abrupt climatic shifts. 

Neandog: "I just can't handle this heat"

http://danshamptons.com/2012/07/18/this-is-how-im-feeling-about-the-weather-lately-in-the-hamptons/

Some archeologists suggest that climate change did have a significant part to play in Neanderthal extinction. 

According to this, Gerd-Christian Weniger and his team from the University of Keulen in Germany combined archeology, paleontology and paleogenetics to show that Neanderthals went extinct due to extreme climate. Weniger suggests that Neanderthals were not able to survive the fourth Heinrich event. The authors argue that while Neanderthals had weathered colder weather before, they were unprepared for the drought that followed. 

This article summarizes Clive Finlayson's The Humans Who Went Extinct. In his book, Finlayson also argues that climatic change was significant. According to him, Neanderthals might have actually have survived until as late as 24, 000 years ago in Spain, Portugal, and Gibraltar. Eventually, though, even this small group of survivors died out after the Heinrich 2 event. 

In this paper, Francisco Jose Jimenez Espejo and his team's analysis of marine sediments shows variation in marine productivity, which is indicative of climatic fluctuation. The authors found that these variations were closely correlated with Homo spatial and occupational patterns. They note that Neanderthals disappeared from Southern Iberia during a particularity harsh and cold climatic period, and therefore suggest that climatic factors may have wiped out Neanderthal populations in this particular geographical area between 24 and 25 thousand years ago. 

Notice that these articles suggest that cold, not heat, did Neanderthals in. Neanderthals may have been morphologically adapted to cold and may have even had clothing... 

http://www.desicolours.com/dont-animals-get-too-cold/10/11/2009

... but may not have been able to find sufficient resources to nourish themselves as hunter-gatherers. 

Some archeologists maintain that climate change did not have any role in causing the Neanderthals to go extinct. Even proponents of climate change can't seem to agree on certain key factors, like when exactly Neanderthals went extinct. If climate change did indeed play a role, perhaps it affected Neanderthals differently depending on particular geographical locations and timing. Neanderthals in the Levant might have been particularly affected by warmer weather in the Levant after 45 kya, while Neanderthals in the Iberian peninsula might not have been able to survive a particularly cold and dry phase around 24 kya.  

Two politicians who can't agree on anything

http://www.foreignpolicy.com/articles/2012/10/24/cant_we_all_just_not_get_along

Bibliography 

• Hadley, Kathryn. "History in the News: News of the Neanderthals." History in the News. N.p., 17 Feb. 2009. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. <http://historytodaymagazine.blogspot.com/2009/02/news-of-neanderthals.html>.
• Jiminez-Espejo , Francisco. "Climate forcing and Neanderthal extinction in Southern Iberia: insights from a multiproxy marine record." Quaternary Science Reviews 26.7-8 (2007): 836-852. Print.
• Jones, Tim. "Neanderthals Dried Fresh Meat, Wore Tailored Clothing – Energy Study « Anthropology.net."  Anthropology.net. N.p., 26 June 2009. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. <http://anthropology.net/2009/06/26/neanderthals-dried-fresh-meat-wore-tailored-clothing-energy-study/>.
• Lemonick, Michael D.. "The Neanderthal extinct due to extreme climate change? « Greenfudge.org." Environmental News With a Sticky Twist - Greenfudge.org. N.p., 5 Dec. 2010. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. <http://www.greenfudge.org/2010/12/05/the-neanderthal-extinct-due-to-extreme-climate-change/>.
• Steegmann, AT Jr, FJ Cerny, and TW Holliday . "Neandertal cold adaptation: physiological and energetic factors.." American Journal of Human Biology 14 (2002): 566-83. Print.
• Wrenn, Eddie. "Guilty! We killed the Neanderthals ... not the ice age like we previously thought (or hoped)  | Mail Online." Home | Mail Online. N.p., 24 July 2012. Web. 9 Nov. 2012. <http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2177767/Guilty-We-killed-Neanderthals---ice-age-like-previously-thought-hoped.html>.