All articles tagged with #amud 7
Analysis of Amud 7, the most complete Neanderthal infant, shows Neanderthal babies grew much faster than modern humans: dental age (~6 months) underestimates skeletal growth (~13.7 months), meaning rapid early body growth that later evens out with modern trajectories; dating to ~51–56k years ago, the study suggests accelerated early development as an adaptive strategy and notes interbreeding with Homo sapiens.
Analysis of Amud 7, a six‑month‑old Neanderthal infant from Israel, shows the baby’s body and brain were already the size of a modern one‑year‑old (about 880 cc), indicating Neanderthals grew up much faster in the first years of life. The rapid early growth was likely fueled by high caloric needs and early solid-food introduction around five–six months, helping Neanderthals reach physical independence in harsh Ice Age conditions. This pattern appears consistent across other Neanderthal infants, though by about age seven their developmental trajectory converges with Homo sapiens, suggesting differences in life-history timing rather than overall brain/body size. The findings point to regulatory differences in shared genes guiding development rather than a wholly separate genetic blueprint.