Question

What happened to Neanderthals?

Answer 1

Neanderthal extinction began around 40,000 years ago in Europe, after anatomically modern humans had reached the continent. This date, which is based on research published in Nature in 2014, is much earlier than previous estimates, and it was established through improved radio carbon dating methods analyzing 40 sites from Spain to Russia. The survey did not include sites in Asia, where Neanderthals may have survived longer.[1] Evidence for continued Neanderthal presence in the Iberian Peninsula at 37,000 years ago was published in 2017.

Answer 2

Although Neanderthals had encountered several Interglacials during 250,000 years in Europe inability to adapt their hunting methods caused their extinction facing H. sapiens competition when Europe changed into a sparsely vegetated steppe and semi-desert during the last Ice Age.