More than 40,000 years ago, the European continent was home to two human lineages: our direct ancestors, Homo sapiens, and our cousins, the Neanderthals . There was to be only one sole survivor. For more than a century, scientists have tried to figure out why. Why did our own branch of humanity flourish, while another was chopped short? Historically, Neanderthals have been portrayed as brutish, hunched-over hominins, relatively slow of body and mind. Today, we know better. Growing