Evidence that Neanderthal and Homo sapiens engaged in cultural exchange

This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Illustration representing Homo sapiens and the Neanderthal sharing technology and behavior. Credit: Efrat Bakshitz The first-ever published research on Tinshemet Cave reveals that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens in the mid-Middle Paleolithic Levant not only coexisted but actively interacted, sharing technology, lifestyles, and burial customs. These interactions fostered cultural exchange, social complexity, and behavioral innovations, such as formal burial practices and the symbolic use of ocher for decoration. The findings suggest that human connections, rather than isolation, were key drivers of technological and cultural advancements, highlighting the Levant as a crucial crossroads in early human history. A new discovery at Tinshemet Cave in central Israel is reshaping our understanding of human interac ... Read full article.