Unraveling the Secrets of Neanderthal Noses

Neanderthals have always fascinated scientists, especially their unique facial features. One big question has been why their noses stuck out so much. Some thought it was because they lived in cold places, but a new study says that might not be the whole story. Deep inside a cave in Italy, there's a Neanderthal fossil called the Altamura Man. This fossil is super well-preserved because it's covered in a protective layer of calcite. Scientists couldn't move it, so they used tiny cameras to peek inside its nasal cavity. What they found was surprising. The study, published in a science journal, showed that the Neanderthal's nose didn't have special features to handle cold air, like some scientists thought. Instead, it looked a lot like modern human noses. This means the Neanderthal's face shape wasn't just about their nose. So, what made their faces look different? Scientists think it was a mix of things. Maybe their faces were shaped by genes from earlier humans, how their bones grew, or even their big bodies. Even though the nose wasn't the main reason for their face shape, it was still good at keeping them warm in cold weather. This new information helps us understand our ancient relatives better. It shows that their unique features might not have been just for survival, but also a result of their evolutionary history.