Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.
In the 19th century a series of discoveries
were made across Europe, in Belgium,
Gibraltar, Germany and Croatia.
Interestingly, it was the site of the third
discovery that lends its name to what was
found. Named after the Neander valley
in Germany, scientists had uncovered the
first evidence of Neanderthal man. Since
then, their remains have been found across
Western and Central Europe, in the Levant
and in regions of Northern and Western
Asia. No remains have been found in
Africa to date. At their peak, it is thought
that the population of Neanderthals may
have reached 70,000.
Today, Neanderthals are classed as a
species or subspecies of human. They are
closely related to us and share 99.7% of
our DNA. We also lived alongside each
other in Europe for a few thousand years.
However, they became extinct about
40,000 years ago, and modern humans
did not. There are a number of theories
that seek to explain why the Neanderthals
disappeared, but we cannot be certain of
the exact reason. One scenario assumes
that Neanderthals and modern humans
were separate species and the arrival of
humans, together with climate change,
meant that they were gradually replaced.
Some argue that this interaction between
the two species may have been violent.
Another scenario places Neanderthals as
a subspecies of human that interbred with
us and disappeared through being absorbed
into the population. The exact nature of
the relationship between Neanderthals and
modern humans has not been scientifically
proven and is contentious. There are also
extinction theories that put the blame on
an extreme volcanic event. We do know
that about 55,000 years ago the climate
started to fluctuate between extreme cold
and milder conditions. Rapid fluctuations,
occurring within a few decades, may
have made it difficult for Neanderthals
to adapt and survive.
What led to the extinction of the Neanderthals?
AModern humans and climate change
BA volcano
CScience and technology
DThe passage does not fully support any
particular theory.
Modern humans and climate change