Neanderthal brains lie within the modern human size range, study finds
A new comparison of Neanderthal endocasts with MRI scans from 400 modern humans shows Neanderthal brain size and regional variation fall within the range of modern human variation. Brain size differences don’t reliably predict cognition, and the findings—alongside evidence of complex tool use, symbolic thought, and social organization—suggest Neanderthals were cognitively on par with early Homo sapiens, challenging the idea that they were outmatched by size or intelligence.