There is no definitive evidence yet that ancient hominids were inferior to Homo sapiens in cognitive development. Were Neanderthals really just recent ancestors who were surpassed by the smarter and more agile Homo sapiens? This position may be wrong, writes IFLScience. Neanderthals lived on Earth together with early Homo sapiens and died out about 40 thousand years ago. It is early humans who are blamed for the extinction of the Neanderthals, although this theory remains unproven. Recent advances in paleontology have allowed scientists to study the likely structure of the Neanderthal brain in more detail. What is now known is that the Neanderthal brain was about the same size as a human brain, but had a different shape. An analysis of 32 modern humans and 13 Neanderthal skulls showed that the latter had larger areas of the brain devoted to vision. This supports the fact that Neanderthals had larger eyes than modern humans. Neanderthal brains also had larger areas devoted to motor control due to their larger bodies. The study authors suggested that because of all of the above, less cognitive weight was allocated to performing complex social processing. The consequence of this may have been that Neanderthals were unable to form strong social groups. Another study shows that most theories about Neanderthals being dim-witted are based on a misleading comparison of ancient hominids to modern humans. It’s like accusing 18th-century humans of being mentally retarded because they couldn’t make a TikTok. A more fair analysis that compared Neanderthals with early humans was more clear-cut. A 3D reconstruction of the brains of both species showed smaller cerebellums in Neanderthals, which may have affected their cognitive and social functions. In another recent study, scientists extracted a Neanderthal gene from ancient DNA samples and inserted it into the brains of mice and ferrets, as well as “mini-brain” organoids created from human stem cells. The brains with Neanderthal DNA formed new brain cells more slowly, suggesting that ancient hominins had a lower cognitive peak than Homo sapiens. The authors of this latest paper said that even their innovative approach only hinted at reduced cognitive function in Neanderthals. The post Neanderthals: Not Less Intelligent, Just Different appeared first on Anomalien.com.

CNN talking head Jake Tapper gave former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson an opportunity this week to help the American media establishment advance its latest Trump-Russia smear. Johnson, whose time as prime minister and foreign secretary overlapped Trump's first four years in the White House, not only proved unwilling to cosign the narrative but highlighted President Donald Trump's historic efforts to keep Russia in check — something the Biden-Harris administration has alternatively had difficulty with. Johnson went on CNN to promote his new memoir, "Unleashed." While nominally interested in discussing the former prime minister's book, Tapper appeared far more intent on exploring some of the more sensational allegations in Bob Woodward's forthcoming book, particularly the disputed claim — from yet another unnamed source — that Trump has spoken to Putin as many as seven times since leaving the White House. 'None of ... these made-up stories by Bob Woodward are true.' Democratic operatives and the liberal media are desperate to make something of this allegation. Former Obama U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice, for instance, gladly leaped to the conclusion Tuesday that Trump had violated the Logan Act, thereby committing a crime. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has also given the rumor oxygen, claiming, "If it is true, it is indeed concerning." Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung told The Hill, "None of ... these made-up stories by Bob Woodward are true," adding that Woodward "suffers from a debilitating case of Trump derangement syndrome." Woodward might have a chip on his shoulder on account of the president's $50 million lawsuit for releasing audio recordings of their interviews without consent. "CNN is also reporting that in Woodward's book, according to a Trump aide, there have been multiple phone calls between former President Trump and Vladimir Putin. Maybe as many as seven since Trump left the White House in 2021," said Tapper. "What's your reaction to that?" "I don't know if that's true, and I'm certainly not privy to the contents of those sorts of conversations," said Johnson. "What I can tell our viewers is that when I had dealings with President Trump over Russia, like when the Russians poisoned people in the U.K., it was actually the Trump administration that really ... exceeded expectations. They expelled 60 Russian spies. It was the Trump administration that actually gave Ukrainians lethal weaponry — the Javelin missiles to use against Putin's troops." After Russian former double agent Sergei Skripal and his adult daughter were poisoned in 2018, Trump ordered the expulsion of 60 Russian diplomats whom his administration identified as intelligence agents. He also had the Russian consulate in Seattle closed. 'Had he been president in 2022, there would have been no Russian invasion of Ukraine.' As for the Javelins, Trump approved a plan to send the anti-tank missile systems to Ukraine in December 2017 — a step that former President Barack Obama had avoided, even when Russia annexed Crimea under his watch. There was a pregnant silence after Johnson concluded his defense of Trump's record on Russia. Tapper then awkwardly changed the topic to the prime minister's book. This is not the first time in recent days that the former prime minister has defended Trump. In a recent interview with Britain's Times Radio, Johnson suggested Putin would not have invaded Ukraine on Trump's watch. "I happen to believe that when Donald Trump says that had he been president in 2022, there would have been no Russian invasion of Ukraine, my view is that that is a credible assertion. I really do think that's credible," said Johnson. Like Blaze News? Bypass the censors, sign up for our newsletters, and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here!

If you're in the market for a new gaming handheld, this Asus ROG Ally X deal is one of the best given how the console only released a few months ago, and it's far and away a more powerful alternative to the now aging Steam Deck. In my Asus ROG Ally X review, I praise the raw gaming performance made possible thanks to the increase in memory capacity and speed, which instantly makes it one of the best handheld gaming PCs, even if its operating system could use a little work when compared to that of the Steam Deck. Continue reading You can already save $50 on the Asus ROG Ally X MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Asus ROG Swift PG27UQ review, Asus ROG Raikiri review, Best gaming motherboard

If you've been missing classic '90s MMO EverQuest, you're in luck, as there's a spiritual successor on the way. EverCraft Online is a new old-school MMO that blends the traditional RPG elements of EverQuest with the art style of Minecraft, and thanks to an upcoming community alpha test, you can play it for free next weekend. h1ddentree Entertainment's EverCraft Online sees you embark on an epic adventure through the seamless world of Adrullan, forging alliances, slaying beasts, and exploring dungeons across diverse biomes. You'll also be able to try out the game's various classes and races, as well as its crafting system.  Continue reading Classic ’90s MMO EverQuest has a new spiritual sequel, and it’s playable soon MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best MMOs, Best free MMORPGs, Best old games

Which Star Wars game would like to see remastered and relaunched? Jedi Starfighter is my personal number-one choice, or maybe Rogue Squadron. I also have a strange soft spot for the official Phantom Menace tie-in game. The original Battlefront duo has gotten the PC re-release; likewise Bounty Hunter, which had a good run on Steam earlier this year. Now, suddenly, another Star Wars game is coming to our beloved platform, and it’s not one that I would have expected. Released 24 years ago, the admittedly gorgeous Star Wars Episode I Jedi Power Battles is making a return. Continue reading Forgotten Star Wars game from the year 2000 is suddenly coming back MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best action games, Best Star Wars games, Best old games

NEARstudios, a studio made up of developers from Bethesda, BioWare, and Naughty Dog has announced its new game, Hawthorn - and it's unbelievably wholesome. Set in a world of anthropomorphic animals and fairies, this sandbox RPG sees you crafting, farming, and exploring as you build a village of "memorable NPCs" and "celebrate the seasons in an ever-changing world bigger than you," according to recently revealed gameplay trailer Continue reading Former Bethesda devs unveil Hawthorn, an unbelievably adorable animal RPG MORE FROM PCGAMESN: Best fantasy games, Best RPGs, Best indies

Sharyl Attkisson OWNS CBS News With BRUTAL Obama Reminder As They Conspire to Make Kamala Look LESS DUMB

In Space Marine 2, you play as six Space Marines in various Operations, the game's co-op mode. Each has a unique playstyle and combat role. The devs have confirmed that they will eventually release new classes, and I'm excited to try them out.

A One Piece Game is an anime fighting game created by Boss Studio.

When video games give the player a companion, they're typically helpful. They either provide assistance in combat, share helpful information, or are just a genuine friend tagging along, whether they have two legs or four furry ones.