: Massive volcanic eruptions during this period, such as the Campanian Ignimbrite eruption in Italy, might have caused a "volcanic winter," disrupting the food chain and making survival impossible for the already stressed Neanderthal populations. Did They Actually Go Extinct?
Scientists are still debating exactly what wiped them out, but most theories fall into a few key categories:
: Some researchers suggest that rapid shifts in the Earth's climate turned their lush hunting grounds into barren steppes. Neanderthals were built for ambush hunting in forests, and they may have struggled to adapt to these new, wide-open landscapes.
