Re: Did disease lead to the extinction of the Neanderthals?

J Sechler:
Current theory is that American Indians came from Asia between 13,000 and 
30,000 years ago.  I guess the contact between these groups that you are 
talking about is that between Europeans and the Indians after 1492.  It is 
true that many Indians died of diseases brought over by the invading 
Europeans and many died from other problems associated with the invasion.
The Neandertals arose between 200,000 and 100,000 years ago.  They were not 
separated from the hominids of Africa.  Neandertals lived in North Africa, 
Europe, the Middle East and Asia.  Early modern humans it is believed 
competed with Neandertals for environmental resources.  It is thought that 
the Neandertals were the losers in this competition and died out by about 
30,000 years ago with only early modern humans remaining.  However, it is 
still hotly debated as to whether they died out. Possibly they interbred 
with early modern humans and the hominids we see after 30,000 years ago are 
a mix of the two.  Research and debate continue on this topic.

Dr. Smerken