I had some questions for Bing/Copilot:
I have recently read about a third species of human, now extinct, that co-resided with Homo Neanderthal and Homo Sapien humans, and bred with them. What is its name?
The third species you’re referring to is Homo heidelbergensis. Many researchers consider it a common ancestor of both modern humans and Neanderthals. This fascinating species lived side-by-side with our ancestors in ancient Africa, and their interactions left a genetic legacy that still influences us today.
How long ago did they live?
Homo heidelbergensis lived approximately 700,000 to 200,000 years ago during the Middle Pleistocene. These ancient humans existed in both Europe and Africa, and they are considered a chronospecies, representing a crucial point in our evolutionary history between modern humans and Neanderthals.
Are Neanderthals part of the homo clan?
Neanderthals are Homo Sapiens’s closest-known relative. We coexisted with them for thousands of years, up until the end of their long reign around 40,000 years ago. While we sometimes unfairly characterized them as lumbering dimwits, recent discoveries reveal their surprising complexity. Neanderthals even left behind intriguing structures in Bruniquel Cave, France, hinting at creativity and perhaps symbolism. Genetic evidence confirms that we interbred with Neanderthals, making them partly our ancestors, even though we didn’t evolve directly from them.
Are there any other homo varieties?
Certainly! Apart from our species, Homo sapiens, several other fascinating Homo varieties have existed on Earth. Here are a few:
Homo Rudolfensis: Existed around 1.9 million to 1.8 million years ago. Their physical characteristics remain somewhat mysterious due to limited cranial fossils.
Homo Habilis, Homo Erectus, Homo Antecessor, and Homo Naledi are also part of this diverse lineage.
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