About 50,000 years ago,
we shared this planet
with different hominids
called the Neanderthals.
Their species wasn't human,
but they weren't far from it either.
No longer walking among us,
these early cousins of humans
died out long ago,
but not before they had a chance to, uh,
get intimate with some of our ancestors.
If you were to mate
with a Neanderthal today
With their protruding brows
and large molars,
a Neanderthal may not
be the most attractive partner available.
But considering that
20% of Neanderthal DNA
is found in humans across the globe,
they might have had a little
something going on.
After all,
our bodies are entirely compatible.
And these primitive features
might trigger something primal in you.
And while you might have a wild night out,
Let's clear a few important things up.
Humans did not evolve
from Neanderthals.
Our species and theirs
came from a common ancestor
over half a million years ago.
Then, like two branches on the same tree,
we both went our separate ways.
Neanderthals roamed Eurasia,
while humans were starting to migrate
out of Africa.
But due to inbreeding
and smaller population size,
the Neanderthals slowly faded
out of existence.
And if they were still around today,
our gene pool might look wildly different.
But before you start painting the nursery,
let's start talking about your matches.
Again, you may not find Neanderthals,
uh, conventionally attractive.
But they weren't the lumbering oafs
from our imaginations.
Our primitive cousins were adept at hunting
and killed large animals at close range.
They made many tools
and even created jewelry.
These strong and fierce hominids
would be able to protect you,
bring home dinner
and even make you an anniversary gift.
But you'd want to dine in more often.
They might be primitive,
but they wouldn't be a cheap date.
Also, considering that Neanderthals
often ate the contents
inside their prey's stomach,
their table manners
might be a little bit messy.
But even then,
there might be an attraction
you couldn't deny.
Most of our human desires are ruled
by the Specific Mate Recognition System.
That means you're attracted to individuals
you feel comfortable with.
So anyone who triggers
the right anatomical,
behavioral or chemical cues in you
could cause an intense attraction.
But hey, you like whoever you like.
Unfortunately for you though,
a relationship with a Neanderthal
wouldn't be exclusive.
Neanderthals lived in small communities,
and inbreeding was a common practice.
So your potential in-laws
would all be fierce competition
for your partner's affection.
Our skin and hair
still contain genes from
Neanderthals' surviving genomes.
While your children would have
a full head of hair,
they could suffer from blood clots
and be more at risk for catching
communicable diseases like COVID-19.
And depending on your partner,
your hybrid offspring
might have trouble reproducing.
Mating between human females
and male Neanderthals would be
less likely to produce fertile children.
Neanderthals were known
for their broad noses
and protruding brows.
Based on fossils found from these
human-Neanderthal pairings,
your kids might not inherit those features.
But they could have massive molars,
a large bone behind their ear
or frontal face flattening.
Flat Head Syndrome isn't lethal for infants,
but it can be costly to correct,
involving physical therapy
or expensive corrective helmets.
Humans mating with Neanderthals
didn't keep their species going,
but their legacy lives on in our DNA.
But maybe you want to keep some
of your traits within your own family.
So what would happen if
everyone started inbreeding tomorrow?
Well, that's a story for another WHAT IF.