Humans Would Beat Neanderthals in Marathon

[Still Waters]

Humans, versus other great apes, are built for running fast and long as opposed to very impressive strength, but what about Neanderthals? If a modern human and a Neanderthal competed in a marathon, who would win?

In a short sprint, the Neanderthal might have had a chance, but most fit humans would always win longer races, suggests new research accepted for publication in the Journal of Human Evolution.

Anthropologist David Raichlen of the University of Arizona and his colleagues determined that our modern human ancestors were better runners. The researchers did this by studying the hominids' fossilized remains.

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[tipotep]

Its good to see that time and money has been spent on working this out

Now really who gives a toss if we could run faster - spend your research time and money and something more productive ......

TiP.

[danielost]

i bet in the tundra the reverse would be true, since the neanderthal would retain his heat longer without over heating.

[angi chiesa]

they were not raced against each other,they mated and had children. We are a mixture of both races .Just look around you next time you go out and you will see for yourself , an obvious mixture no matter what country you are in. Here in Thailand there are so many that look pure Neanderthal.

[Helen of Annoy]

Modern humans would beat Neanderthals in marathon, but Neanderthals could beat up modern humans.

We're fragile, too fragile.

[d e v i c e]

Why anyone would want to run a marathon bores me. I feel Neanderthal man wouldn't bother entering any track and field events whatsoever but would probably focus his mind on more creative persuits such as art.

Edited February 12, 2011 by Evilution13

[jknightx]

Neanderthal would have just bomked the modern humans on the head and befor the race started and ate modern humans.Neanderthals were more interested in survival than compentions.

[ShadowSot]

Its good to see that time and money has been spent on working this out

Now really who gives a toss if we could run faster - spend your research time and money and something more productive ......

TiP.

What would you have an anthropologist study that would be more "productive?" Especially an anthropologist specializing in ancient man and.

[DontHate]

jknightx, survival is competition.

[danielost]

Why anyone would want to run a marathon bores me. I feel Neanderthal man wouldn't bother entering any track and field events whatsoever but would probably focus his mind on more creative persuits such as art.

actually they didnt bother with art until modern humans showed up, they were to worried about survival. but they would probable enter track anfd field events that would help them survive. and if they were in our modern days, they could also be some of our greatest scientists, they had a bigger brain than we do.

[Helen of Annoy]

actually they didnt bother with art until modern humans showed up, they were to worried about survival. but they would probable enter track anfd field events that would help them survive. and if they were in our modern days, they could also be some of our greatest scientists, they had a bigger brain than we do.

Intelligence is not proportional to the size of one's brain.

For example, I bet your head is bigger than mine Kidding.

They did make jewellery, so there was at least that aspect of art in their lives.

[Jewels1958]

Yeah, but I bet the neanderthal would kick our butts in the shot put!!!

[sepulchrave]

Why anyone would want to run a marathon bores me. I feel Neanderthal man wouldn't bother entering any track and field events whatsoever but would probably focus his mind on more creative persuits such as art.

Back in those days it wasn't called a marathon, it was called persistence hunting.

With greater stamina, early humans would have been better at this than Neanderthals.

[Leonardo]

Back in those days it wasn't called a marathon, it was called persistence hunting.

With greater stamina, early humans would have been better at this than Neanderthals.

And not just the stamina. The evolution towards a more gracile build meant we became more effective heat dissipaters (higher surface area/volume ratio), that's just basic physics.

In the cold weather, the early Homo sapiens would have been able to compete with the Neanderthals due to clothes.

[danielost]

And not just the stamina. The evolution towards a more gracile build meant we became more effective heat dissipaters (higher surface area/volume ratio), that's just basic physics.

In the cold weather, the early Homo sapiens would have been able to compete with the Neanderthals due to clothes.

neanderthals had cloths too.

[Leonardo]

neanderthals had cloths too.

I appreciate that, Daniel. I wasn't trying to suggest the Neanderthals were beast-like, just reflecting that clothes levelled the playing field between H. sap and the Neanderthals in the colder climes.

But I wasn't very clear, so apologies for that.

[danielost]

I appreciate that, Daniel. I wasn't trying to suggest the Neanderthals were beast-like, just reflecting that clothes levelled the playing field between H. sap and the Neanderthals in the colder climes.

But I wasn't very clear, so apologies for that.

like i said before neanderthal was built and would win in a race in the tundra, they were designed to keep the heat without over heating.

however in the desert the story would be the other way round. humans were designed to dump heat.

[StarChild 83]

but would the neanderthal let the race begin or smash the human with a rock?

[danielost]

but would the neanderthal let the race begin or smash the human with a rock?

neanderthals were humans, so they would play just like the rest of us. in fact i would call them modern humans as well.,

[Leonardo]

like i said before neanderthal was built and would win in a race in the tundra, they were designed to keep the heat without over heating.

however in the desert the story would be the other way round. humans were designed to dump heat.

That's not strictly true. Yes, because of their more robust frame, the Neanderthals would have been more efficient at retaining heat than H. sap. I agree with that part of what you said. However, H. sap. could use clothes to counter-act this.

However, the Neanderthals more robust build would have made them more prone to 'overheating' in any climate when undertaking some strenuous activity.

[Classified Document]

Us Humans Would Be Pulling Off Some Sweet Parkour. Kong Vaulting Mammoths And Speed Vaulting Saber-toothed-cats!

[ArcherSage]

No ****, is all I have to say.

[tipotep]

What would you have an anthropologist study that would be more "productive?" Especially an anthropologist specializing in ancient man and.

Google Anthropology - it doesnt say that its the study of how fast neanderthals can run compared to homo sapiens.

TiP.

[ShadowSot]

Google Anthropology - it doesnt say that its the study of how fast neanderthals can run compared to homo sapiens.

TiP.

No, but this falls under it, and paleontology. They were analyzing the differences in physical characteristics between Neanderthal and modern man, and this is one of the differences they found.

Again, what would you have them study?

[danielost]

That's not strictly true. Yes, because of their more robust frame, the Neanderthals would have been more efficient at retaining heat than H. sap. I agree with that part of what you said. However, H. sap. could use clothes to counter-act this.

However, the Neanderthals more robust build would have made them more prone to 'overheating' in any climate when undertaking some strenuous activity.

you forget their large nose, which is their radiator.