Chapter 10: Sexual Evolution

This chapter was hilarious, yet informative. I have seen several television specials on Neandertal and knew that our species had never crossbred (that we knew of) with this species of man. I had never heard any conjectures as to why that was. I think Sumner presents several good theories in this chapter as to why it never happened. I personally believe that Sumner's theory on anatomical equipment being insufficient for fertilization is the most likely.

I think if Neandertals had a breeding pattern similar to chimpanzees that this would not have stopped the birth of hybrids. It might lesson the number, but it would not have been unheard of. I suppose it is possible that there were a small number of hybrid births but that these hybrids died out relatively quickly (perhaps due to infertility like in mules) and simply weren't recorded by the fossil record.

Here is hoping that Sumner gets that call about Neandertal pelvic bones.