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Published

Neanderthal

vr.tr.neanderthal · thing-q40171

Let an agent explain Neanderthals and their biology, relay evidence on behaviour, distribution, extinction and genetics from palaeoanthropology sources with attribution, describe the Gibraltar and Southwest Asian populations, and distinguish Neanderthals from Homo sapiens, Denisovans and earlier Homo species.

Thing Registry Physical world and living systems PHY.LIV
Bundle → Layer → Finding → QuestionsClassifiersWhat it isWhy it existsDistinguishing featuresWhat robots and AI may and may not doMoral aspectsOwnersLinks to other meta-modelsIdentity and identifiersDirect propertiesRecognitionCapabilities and actionsHazards and failure modesStandards and interfacesContext of useSources

Bundle → Layer → Finding → Questions Filled

4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions

Understand Who Neanderthals were.

Definition

Definition and biology.

Definition

Definition.

  1. Who were the Neanderthals, and how do they differ from Homo sapiens, Denisovans and earlier Homo? definition
  2. Is the question about biology, behaviour, genetics, a region or extinction? boundary

Regions

Regional populations.

Regions

Regions.

  1. What is known about the Neanderthals of Gibraltar and of Southwest Asia? definition
  2. Which entry fits the specific site or region? action
Evidence Behaviour and evidence.

Behaviour

Behaviour.

Behaviour

Behaviour.

  1. What does evidence show about tools, fire, burial, art and language, with debates attributed? provenance
  2. Which references are standard? provenance

Genetics

Genetics.

Genetics

Genetics.

  1. What have Neanderthal genomes revealed about interbreeding and inheritance in living people? provenance
  2. Which sources are cited? provenance
Extinction Extinction.

Causes

Causes.

Causes

Causes.

  1. Why did Neanderthals disappear, with climate, competition and assimilation hypotheses attributed? provenance
  2. Is the presentation attributed? boundary

Timing

Timing.

Timing

Timing.

  1. When and where did the last Neanderthals live, as dating evidence suggests? provenance
  2. Which entry fits Gorham s Cave? action
Context History and culture.

History

History of research.

History

History.

  1. How has the image of Neanderthals changed since 1856? provenance
  2. Which entry fits the history of palaeoanthropology? action

Culture

Culture.

Culture

Culture.

  1. How are Neanderthals portrayed in fiction and media? provenance
  2. Which entry fits Neanderthals in popular culture? action

Classifiers Filled

Family
Thing Registry
Category
Physical world and living systems
Entry kind
thing
Plane
PHY
Domain
PHY.LIV
Other names and narrower kinds
Neanderthals of Gibraltar, Neanderthals in Southwest Asia

What it is Filled

An extinct species or subspecies of archaic human, Homo neanderthalensis, that lived in Europe and Southwest Asia from about 400000 to 40000 years ago, with robust bodies, large brains and a record of tool making, fire use, burial and symbolic behaviour, known from sites including Gibraltar, where late populations survived, and Southwest Asia, where they overlapped with modern humans; Neanderthals interbred with Homo sapiens, leaving genetic traces in living people outside Africa.

Why it exists Filled

Let an agent explain Neanderthals and their biology, relay evidence on behaviour, distribution, extinction and genetics from palaeoanthropology sources with attribution, describe the Gibraltar and Southwest Asian populations, and distinguish Neanderthals from Homo sapiens, Denisovans and earlier Homo species.

Distinguishing features Filled

  • Robust build
  • Cold adaptation
  • Symbolic behaviour
  • Interbreeding with sapiens

What robots and AI may and may not do Filled

Must not

  • Repeat the stereotype of Neanderthals as brutish and unintelligent.
  • Use Neanderthal ancestry to rank human populations or support racial claims.
  • Present debated claims about symbolic behaviour or interbreeding as settled.
  • Excavate, sample or move hominin remains without authorization.

Only with a human decision

  • Any sampling or excavation of hominin remains.
  • Publishing ancestry results that concern living populations.

May

  • Explain what is known of Neanderthals from archaeology and ancient DNA, with attribution.
  • Separate well-supported findings from debated claims about their behaviour and extinction.

Moral aspects Filled

  • Human-origins claims are readily twisted into racist arguments.
  • Hominin remains and their sites are heritage that cannot be replaced.

Who is affected

  • Living populations compared on ancestry
  • Researchers
  • Communities near excavation sites

Owners Filled

Steward

Nobody; remains and sites are held by states and museums under heritage law.

Master systems

  • National heritage and museum collection records
  • Ancient DNA databases

Links to other meta-models Filled

parent

  • Q284851 - registry parent class

related

  • archaic human - in registry terms
  • Homo - the genus
  • Homo sapiens - leaving genetic traces
  • Denisovan

What else AI and robots need to interact with it Filled

Identity and identifiers required Filled

  • Vercy registry: vr.tr.neanderthal
  • Wikidata: Q40171 (https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q40171)

Direct properties required Filled

  • time range: about 400000 to 40000 years ago period
  • brain volume: about 1400-1600 cubic cm - average
  • Neanderthal ancestry in non-Africans: about 1-2 percent
  • first fossil recognised: 1856 year - Neander Valley

Recognition required Filled

  • Archaic human of Eurasia
  • Neanderthals of Gibraltar, Neanderthals in Southwest Asia
  • Homo sapiens are modern humans; Denisovans are a sister group; Homo heidelbergensis is ancestral
  • Robust archaic humans with prominent brow ridges and large noses, known from fossils.

Capabilities and actions required Filled

  • explain biology and behaviour
  • relay evidence and debates
  • describe regional populations
  • distinguish related humans

Hazards and failure modes required Filled

  • Outdated stereotypes of brutishness
  • Presenting debated claims as settled
  • Registry aliases naming regional populations

Standards and interfaces required Filled

  • Heritage protection of fossil sites such as Gorham s Cave
  • Ethics rules for ancient DNA research

Context of use required Filled

  • Not applicable; an extinct human species.
  • early Neanderthals
  • classic European Neanderthals
  • Neanderthals in Southwest Asia
  • late Neanderthals of Gibraltar and Iberia
  • Neanderthal genomes and hybrid individuals

Sources Filled

  1. Wikidata item Q40171: Neanderthal - identity and sense of the item
  2. Wikipedia: Neanderthal - general description of the item

Open questions

  • Should Neanderthal genetics and Gorham s Cave be separate primary entries?
  • How should palaeoanthropology sources be linked?
  • The registry entry has merged aliases naming regional populations; should they be split off?

Machine files

Card as JSON Specification Card backlog vercy.card/1

Provenance

thing registry research (pass 2) · unreviewed

Built from: models/things/publications/thing-q40171/spec.json