"It has been shown that after Neaderthals met modern Humans, their tool making (as well as jewelry and knickknack making) skills began to blossom and expand dramatically. Some people say that this was nothing more than imitation on the part of Neanderthals. Maybe it was, and maybe not. "

Yes, and this time of 'innovation' was during massive climatic changes and disruptions- the same disruptions that brough N'Tal and HSS together. I think the point is that N'Tal had stable populations in a sparse but stable environment that they were WELL adapted to. Change is usually driven by force of necessity.

We are finding that the N'Tal had adequate apparatus for complex communication where we had assumed that they had none. We are finding the N'Tal was quite capable of innovation where we had assumed they could not. We are finding a long tradition Art and symbolism where we had assumed none. And now we are finding the N'Tal had all the equipment for dexterity that we have- again where we had assumed infiriority.

Why (and even IF) HSS replace N'Tal is a mystery. With species replacement (if N'Tal was even ever a truely distinct species or just a subspecies of the same order as HE, HSS) it is rarely clear why one replaces the other. The naieve 'adam smith' view of sheer superiority is rarely justified. The lemming will displace related and unrelated species that display much higher social skills, adaptability and superior average calorie-intake/bodymass efficiency. All because the lemming breeds like, um, a lemming and degrades the biodeversity of the environment it penetrates.

Davin L.