Neanderthal Toddlers' Rapid Growth Linked to Harsh Environments
Recent research has revealed that Neanderthal toddlers grew faster than modern human children, likely as an adaptation to the cold and harsh environments they inhabited. This conclusion was drawn from the study of a young Neanderthal's bones found in Amud Cave, northern Israel, dating back between 51,000 and 56,000 years. The study, published in the journal Current Biology, indicates that Neanderthals and modern humans diverged in their evolutionary paths after splitting from a common ancestor around 600,000 years ago. The partial skeleton, known as Amud 7, was discovered with a red deer jaw, suggesting a possible burial offering. Researchers found that while Neanderthal newborns were similar to modern human newborns in terms of tooth formation and limb length, their skulls were significantly larger. The study highlights that Neanderthal infants and toddlers experienced rapid body growth compared to their teeth, unlike modern humans whose growth was more proportionate. 
