Why Neanderthals Had Such a Funny Nose, Archaeologists Found Out 0 8

A new study has shown that the exceptionally well-preserved nasal cavity of a Neanderthal skull over 130,000 years old did not have special adaptations to cold climates and was structurally similar to the nasal cavity of modern humans. Unique video recordings of the internal structure of the nose from the preserved nasal cavity confirm that the large noses of Neanderthals were not an adaptation to life in the cold, as claimed by scientists in the early 20th century.

According to the paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the nasal cavities of Neanderthals largely corresponded to the structure of the nose of Homo sapiens. Thus, the study definitively refutes the long-held assumption that the characteristic protruding faces of Neanderthals were needed to accommodate enlarged noses, which allegedly evolved to warm and humidify cold, dry air before it entered the lungs. The research relies on data about the "man from Altamura" – a Neanderthal who lived approximately 172,000 to 130,000 years ago, whose remains were found in a cave in southern Italy in 1993.

The skeleton is almost completely preserved but covered with a dense layer of calcite – the so-called "cave popcorn." Such a degree of preservation is extremely rare for Neanderthals: in other finds, the thin bones deep within the nasal cavity are usually damaged or completely absent. In the case of the Altamura man, however, these fragile structures miraculously survived. To avoid damaging the unique specimen, scientists conducted research directly in the cave.

As part of the new study, the team used a miniature specialized camera mounted on thin tubes – similar to endoscopic cameras used in medicine. With its help, scientists were able to create a three-dimensional digital model of the skull and nasal cavity of this Neanderthal for the first time, as well as obtain photo and video materials of unprecedented quality.