History Channel - Neanderthal Code (2008) Part 1

Neanderthals were humans that dominated Europe for a quarter of a million years and then mysteriously became extinct. But why did they disappear? What part did modern man play in their downfall? And is it possible that some of our modern characteristics have their origins in Neanderthal Man? It's long been thought that modern humans wiped out Neanderthals in a brutal and total genocide, but today that story is being rewritten by stunning new archaeological finds and cutting edge science. Latest evidence suggests that modern humans and Neanderthals made love, not war. A great evolutionary detective story, The Neanderthal Code travels the length and breadth of modern Europe to examine key locations where Neanderthals lived, and reveals that archaeologists are also rethinking their theories. Far from being dumb primitive brutes, the new evidence suggests Neanderthals were smarter and more sophisticated than ever imagined. While Neanderthals and modern humans may have evolved separately for half a million years, when they met each other in ice age Europe they were able to interbreed and have hybrid children. Neanderthal genes entered the modern human gene pool, and some of these genes may still be there today - in our DNA, playing a crucial role in the evolution of our species. Using dramatic reconstructions, interviews and CGI graphics the programs reconstruct the world of the Neanderthal.

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