Their Mysterious Disappearance

Neanderthals vanished around 40,000 years ago, after sharing Europe with modern humans for several thousand years. No single cause explains it. A swinging Ice Age climate, competition for the same prey, new diseases, and very low numbers all likely piled up at once.

The deepest problem may have been connection. Neanderthals lived in small, scattered bands that rarely met outsiders. Modern humans linked their groups into wide webs of trade, marriage, and shared stories. When food ran short, a connected web could pass along news, tools, and help. An isolated band had only itself.