How do you know that the major cause of Neanderthal extinction wasn't genocide? If we really co-mingled then shouldn't we have more than 1 to 4% of their DNA?
I think the actual name of this sub species of humanity is a clue as to why they died out. Homo neanderthalensis was a highly successful cold whether adaptation of humanity that survived very well through the last ice age hunting the mega fauna of that time.
Neander being where their bones were first found and demonstrating the fact that they stayed in Europe excursively, whilst Homo sapains spread all around the world.
What do we know about them?
1. They were territorial staying in localized areas of Europe.
2. They hunted with thrusting spears which meant they had to get close to their prey to kill them.
3. They left no cave art, which could mean that creative or conceptual though was not as highly developed in then as with Homo sapians.
4. That we know of and did not develop agriculture or domesticate any animals.
In these four facts, I can see the seeds of their decline.
Mega fauna was in decline, the trend in animals was towards being smaller and faster. They had to competition from Homo sapiens who had better hunting techniques i.e. projectile weapons in the form of throwing spears and bows and arrows. Also Homo sapians domesticated dogs and used then for hunting and tracking purposes.
Homo-sapians were migratory, following the herds so that they had access to a protein rich food source all year round. Homo sapians spread all over the world, so no single localized disaster could wipe them all out.
If modern humans wiped out Neanderthal’s its less likely that they engaged in warfare to the extent of obliteration. Rather it’s more likely that they out competed them of the food source.
