Neanderthals and modern humans
In 1856, quarry workers blasting in the Neander Valley, Germany, uncovered an unusual human skeleton. It was the first example of a Neanderthal, an ancient human species who lived in Europe and Asia from about 300,000 until 30,000 years ago, when they died out. Scientists were curious to find out if the Neanderthals were the ancestors of modern humans, or just our distant relatives.
