To get an idea of ​​what it means to be human, at least in the evolutionary world, we need only compare our modern selves to our ancestors such as Neanderthals. Neanderthals were our closest hominid relatives and went extinct thousands of years ago. Like us, they walked on two legs, hunted, made fires and tools, and lived in shelters (caves). They were more advanced than many of us realize thanks to the way they are portrayed in the media. They had brains similar in size to ours, stood perfectly straight (not hunched over), and had a surprisingly complex culture. When asked what it means to be human, you can compare many different aspects of our lives, such as biology, culture, and even religious beliefs. We obviously have no way of comparing our religious beliefs to those of Neanderthals, so in this essay I will compare modern humans to Neanderthals on a biological, behavioral, and cultural basis. Similar to other prehuman hominids, Neanderthals were found throughout Africa. , Asia and Europe and their anatomical characteristics varied depending on their location, probably due to the climate and other factors of the region. For example, Neanderthals from Eastern Europe and Western Asia tended to be less "robust" than those found in Western Europe, probably because it was not as cold in those areas. Neanderthals had large brains and most were even larger than today's modern human brain, believed to be the result of climate adjustment and a more efficient metabolism better suited to cold climates. Their skulls, again, similar to those of their older hominid relatives, were large and domed at the sides, with a forehead that rose more vertically than that of earlier hominids and had a brow bone that curved above it. orbits, rat...... middle of paper ......avioral nor cultural. It's all of these combined, but I believe that in this day and age, it's the cultural aspect that makes the human being distinctly different. Biologically, our brains have given us the means to have genius thinkers among us who have led to enormous cultural advancements. When we refer to a country as a “third world country,” it is usually due to its primitive culture and lack of technology, including modern medicine. When we label a culture lower on the totem pole and treat humans as such, it leads me to believe that our culture ultimately defines what it means to be human and that the less advanced your culture is, the less you are perceived as human. , which would mean that Neanderthal was in no way human. Works Cited Jurmaln, R., Kilgore, L. and Trevathan, W. (2011). Foundations of physical anthropology. (9th ed., p. 5). Belmont, California: Wadsworth.