Chapter twelve - Waleska Reyes

Chapter twelve - Waleska Reyes

Chapter twelve opens up with a description of a valley named  Das Neandertal, in Germany. Kolbert highlights that the first Neanderthal fossils were found there. It was discovered that they lived by hunting, creating tools, and carving animal’s skin for clothes/protection from the weather. Neanderthals are often compared to humans. Now, in the present day, individuals have taken DNA tests that put them closer to Neanderthal heritage than most. Furthermore, this has resulted in the theory of interbreeding. The investigation of Neanderthals has sparked a conversation with the leading question, “what makes a human a human?”. A scientist names Paabo has a theory that humans have the qualities of relentlessness and curiosity.

"In other words, as one researcher put it to me, "their bad luck was us" (pg. 237). Kolbert is starting to highlight more and more the devastation and harm humans are causing other species. Which connects to the theme, once again, that humans destroy natural systems. Even from an early age, we were the downfall of many creatures. My question is can we reverse that? Can we save the species we are “doomed” to kill or is it just the process of natural selection?