Christian Weisgerber wrote:
>
> Lee Daniel Crocker <lcrocker@mercury.colossus.net> wrote:
>
> > The label "Neandthal" bothers me a bit though: Neanderthal man
> > was Homo Sapiens, so we /are/ Neanderthals.
>
> Er, no. Neandertal Man was Homo neanderthalensis. Stronger bones,
> physically much stronger, different facial features, slightly bigger
> brain, throat sufficiently different that it remains unclear whether
> Neandertals were capable of articulating speech. It is still subject
> to scientific dispute whether Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens
> did (or even could) interbreed. In fact, we know infuriatingly little
> about the Neandertals and their relation to contemporary modern man.
>
> The use of "Neandertal" as a derogative term is questionable, of
> course.
Mike Lorrey