What happened to the Neanderthals?

This episode dives deep into the fascinating history of Neanderthals, exploring how these ancient humans were unfairly portrayed as dim-witted brutes for over a century due to racist pseudoscience, when modern research reveals a much more complex and capable picture. Josh and Chuck break down the latest genetic and archaeological evidence showing that Neanderthals may have interbred with early humans, created cave art thousands of years before we thought possible, hunted large prey with strategy and skill, and even buried their dead with flowers—behaviors that challenge everything we thought made humans uniquely human. It's a compelling story of how science can overturn centuries of prejudice and show us that our ancient cousins were far more sophisticated than we ever gave them credit for.