All the cool kids study Neandertals:
They may have been stronger, but Neanderthals looked, ate and may have even thought much like modern humans do, suggest several new studies that could help explain new evidence that the early residents of prehistoric Europe and Asia engaged in head-to-head combat with woolly mammoths.
And...
The researchers say their findings "reinforce the idea that Neanderthals were sophisticated hunters with an advanced ability to organize and communicate."
And...
"When we think of Neanderthals, we need to stop thinking in terms of stupid or less advanced and more in terms of different," he added.
It's a combination of a lot of new research, all pointing to Neandertals being smarter than your average bear. I'll take on the papers one by one.
