Facing tons of pressure to survive, Neanderthal kids grew up MUCH faster than modern human kids, whose supposedly lengthy childhoods show signs of longevity. That's according to a study by led researchers at Harvard University, the latest to highlight small but important differences in early development between humans and our closest cousins who died out about 28,000 years ago.The researchers made the discovery after using a new "supermicroscrope" with advanced X-ray technique to examine the teeth of recently discovered fossils of 8 neanderthal children.
"The Neanderthal children showed a lot of stress," said Tanya Smith, assistant professor of human evolutionary biology at Harvard, but teeth can't always offer plenty of clues about overall physical development.
"Inside and outside, the Neanderthal teeth show a lot of these developmental defects in high frequencies. It seems like childhood was tough for Neanderthals."
The study, which appeared the National Academy of Sciences, said that young Neanderthals' teeth growth "was MUCH faster than in our own species."- Info found at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101115/sc_afp/scienceusanthropology_20101115211812
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