Neanderthal thumbs better for tool use

[Eldorado]

Neanderthal thumbs were better adapted to holding tools in the same way that we hold a hammer, according to a paper published in Scientific Reports.

The findings suggest that Neanderthals may have found precision grips — where objects are held between the tip of the finger and thumb — more challenging than power ‘squeeze’ grips, where objects are held like a hammer, between the fingers and the palm with the thumb directing force.

Full monty at SciTech Daily: Link

"The implications of thumb movements for Neanderthal and modern human manipulation"

Research: Nature dot com

[acute]

Neanderthals only learned to use a hammer after the Utah thing appeared. 

[Tom1200]

So Neanderthals were genetically predisposed to hitchhiking?  It's a dangerous hobby - no wonder they went extinct.  Like the iguanodon.