‘Neanderthal Pompeii’: dig places humans in Europe earlier than thought

Researchers find Homo sapiens moved into Madrin cave in France one year after Neanderthals abandoned it

Homo sapiens ventured into Neanderthal territory in Europe much earlier than previously thought, according to a new archaeological study.

Up to now, archaeological discoveries had indicated that Neanderthals disappeared from the European continent about 40,000 years ago, shortly after the arrival of their “cousin” Homo sapiens, barely 5,000 years earlier and there was no evidence of an encounter between these two groups.