https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2016/05/08/the-2-million-…

“Forget this image,” says Dimitra Papagianni, pointing at the depiction of human evolution projected behind her: an ape crouched on all fours, followed by the early hominids carrying rock tools and spears, walking ultimately to the modern human form. While the image is iconic, Papagianni explains that the casual saunter from species to species doesn’t do justice to the 2-million-year epic story of how modern humans beat out their Neanderthal cousins to survive and thrive in the bitterly cold lands of modern day Europe.
Last Wednesday, Papagianni, a researcher from the Centre for Archaeology of Human Origins at the University of Southampton, gave the inaugural seminar for the newly minted Center for Climate and Life at Columbia University and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. In her talk, titled “The Neanderthal Paradox,” she explained the differences between the Neanderthals, a species that went extinct, and the ancient humans, our tropical-adapted forebears that would defy all odds and usurp Neanderthals as they migrated from Africa and into the chilly north. It was a talk that wove together culture, climate change, genetics and evolution. Overall, it was an apt introduction to usher in this new division of Climate and Life.
Though they were closely related, Neanderthals and ancient humans were different species. Papagianni compared the skull of a Neanderthal to that of a human. The difference is clear. “Think of the skull of a human as a soccer ball, and the skull of a Neanderthal as a football,” she says. This sports analogy goes a step further. Like a soccer player, humans are lean and well-suited to running. Neanderthals have stocky statures and barrel chests, more like the stereotypical football player. Because of this, Neanderthals were better adapted to colder weather than ancient humans who originated in the tropical climates of Africa.
“What you likely know about Neanderthals,” Papagianni says, “it’s that they’re supposed to be stupid.” This is a toug…