Neanderthal predation created modern humans?

[VectorM]

From this website: http://www.themandus.org/

It's the theory that modern humans developed to what they are today, thanks to the struggle against the Neanderthals, who, according to this site, actually looked like this:

NP theory reveals that Eurasian Neanderthals hunted, killed and cannibalised early humans for 50,000 years in an area of the Middle East known as the Mediterranean Levant (see map, right).

Because the two species were sexually compatible, Eurasian Neanderthals also abducted and raped human females.

Them and Us cites new evidence from archaeology and genetics to demonstrate that this prolonged period of cannibalistic and sexual predation began about 100,000 years ago and that by 50,000 years ago, the human population in the Levant was reduced to as few as 50 individuals.

The death toll from Neanderthal predation generated the selection pressure that transformed the tiny survivor population of early humans into modern humans.

This Levantine group became the founding population of all humans living today.
NP theory argues that modern human physiology, sexuality, aggression, propensity for inter-group violence and human nature all emerged as a direct consequence of systematic long-term dietary and sexual predation by Eurasian Neanderthals.

Vendramini's discovery of the traumatic secret history of our ancestors resolves the last great mysteries of our species - how, why, when and where we became human beings.

It is unquestionable the biggest shake-up in evolutionary theory since Darwin.

What do you guys think about this?

[Gumba Masta]

Well, if their females looked like that I would've settled for another species too.
Also that facial reconstruction seems a tad pit propagandistic doesn't it?
And even if it would, by some chance, come close to the truth it doesn't mean intercourse was forced.
After all, girls like bad boys.

[VectorM]

The whole thing sounds like a stereotype really. Monkey like Neandertals, raping human women by draging them by the hair 

And his evidence seems sketchy: "HOLY SHIT, WE SHARE THE SAME GENES AS NEANDERTALS, THAT MUST MEAN THERE WAS RAPE ZOMG".

[Gumba Masta]

It would explain some of our species more "exotic" interests... If it moves we fuck it good, if it doesn't then that's fine too.

[MrBogosity]

From the looks of it, I'd say this was done by people whose work was considered to cheesey for the SyFy Channel.

[VectorM]

I think this could be a fail quote:

At the time, Vendramini's theory that Neanderthals were 'apex predators' who hunted, cannibalized and raped early humans in the Middle East between 100,000 and 50,000 years ago was considered controversial. Now that theory has been confirmed by the Draft Neanderthal Sequence, which reveals that between 1- 4% of human genes come from Neanderthals.

OK, how exactly does genetic similarities = rape and cannibalization? Also, Neandertals and Humans share a common ancestor, so even if they never saw each other face to face, they would still share common genes.

[MrBogosity]

The new data deal with genes shared by Neanderthals and Europeans, but not other races. So there was some inbreeding going on there. But that doesn't equate to rape.

And certainly not cannibalism. What, does he think you get horizontal gene transfer just by eating a human or something?

[Virgil0211]

The new data deal with genes shared by Neanderthals and Europeans, but not other races. So there was some inbreeding going on there. But that doesn't equate to rape.

And certainly not cannibalism. What, does he think you get horizontal gene transfer just by eating a human or something?

I guess that means my back-up plan to become spider-man by eating live black-widow spiders was doomed from the start?

[Gumba Masta]

It would have to be radioactive anyway.

[valvatica]

The eyes are really the first thing that jump out at me. They're just odd for a hominid, especially one that was supposedly able to interbreed with us. Certainly just because it looks unbelievable doesn't mean that it is; after all, there's the platypus. I searched the guy also, and opinion seems pretty evenly divided on him. If he's actually trying to corroborate his theory I think it's great. It's not like he's Timecube guy or anything.

[VectorM]

Certainly just because it looks unbelievable doesn't mean that it is; after all, there's the platypus.

People had never seen a platypus ever before, no info on him, nothing. But we do have a lot of info on Neandertals. And from what I read, his theory isn't even anything new, more like a different spin on an old view of Neandertals.

And most of it doesn't even seem to be based on hard evidence. There really is no way to tell exactly what type of eyes they had, or if they were covered with hair like in the pics.

Most of it comes form his observation on human psychology and behavior and he assumes that all of it must have had a specific reason. Why are we afraid of dark forests? Why are we afraid of creatures with big glowing eyes? Why do men share the "Hero saves the women" fantasy? And so on.

And his answer is, that we were hunted by that creature on the pictures above.

[MrBogosity]

Actually, there are specimens that are well-preserved enough to know that they had hair pretty much like ours. And a lot of them had red hair, too.

[Gumba Masta]

And a lot of them had red hair, too.

And suddenly Braveheart makes much more sense.

[VectorM]

Actually, there are specimens that are well-preserved enough to know that they had hair pretty much like ours. And a lot of them had red hair, too.

Really? Didn't know that. Well, wait a minute then...if Neandertals had red hair...and we have people with red hair today...ZOMG THEY RAPED HUMANS!!!!!!!!!!!

[MrBogosity]

Really? Didn't know that. Well, wait a minute then...if Neandertals had red hair...and we have people with red hair today...ZOMG THEY RAPED HUMANS!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually, the genetics don't work out. The genetic studies showed they had different genes for red hair than redheads today.

I'm constantly floored by how much they're able to discover.