Neanderthals were more susceptible to lead poisoning than humans — which helped us gain an advantage over our cousins, scientists say

Recent research suggests that Neanderthals were more vulnerable to lead poisoning than modern humans, which may have played a role in our evolutionary advantage. This exposure to lead over millions of years could have contributed to the development of language in humans, setting us apart from our Neanderthal cousins. Understanding these differences not only sheds light on our evolutionary history but also highlights the unique traits that have shaped human civilization.