This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Edi

Were Neanderthals cold-adapted or were they just ready for anything? Ribcage reconstruction may hold the answer

submited by

Style Pass

2024-12-23 16:30:05

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility:

Researchers at the Department of Paleobiology, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales in Madrid report that analysis of a Neanderthal ribcage from a cave in Iraq exhibits a "bell-shaped" thorax configuration typical of Neanderthals elsewhere, differing from that of modern humans.

Neanderthal ribcage configuration is a subject of great interest to paleoanthropologists due to its implications for physiology, climate adaptation, and diet. Previous research suggests Neanderthals had stockier torsos and larger respiratory systems, potentially adaptations for thermoregulation or high-protein diets.

Previous studies on Neanderthal ribcages have often suffered from incomplete and fragmentary fossil records, limiting some anatomical and functional insights.