Researchers believe marine fossils were deliberately collected by Neanderthals, despite holding no practical value.
At least one gene believed to have been inherited due to interbreeding with ancient humans.
Neanderthal ancestry entered the human genome over an extended period between 50,500 and 43,500 years ago.
Neanderthal hand axes are rare in Sussex; this is the first to be found in years, making Ben's discovery doubly special.
A discovery of an isolated gene of Neanderthal DNA in France could potentially explain extinction patterns.
The study, which was published late last month in the journal Science Advances, centers its findings on how disabled individuals among the Neanderthal population were often cared for.
The arrival of Homo sapiens in cold northern latitudes took place several thousand years before Neanderthals disappeared in southwest Europe
The finding in France involves a series of non-figurative markings on the wall, which the team interpreted as finger-flutings, marks made by human hands.
Though Neanderthals have been extinct for tens of thousands of years, their genetics still make up anywhere from 1% to 4% of the human genome.
Scientists found that the shape of human's nose may be inherited from Neanderthals and may have helped humans adapt to cooler climates after leaving Africa.
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