Neanderthals and the Blood Connection: Could Their Rh Factor Have Sealed Their Fate?

How Ancient Blood Types May Explain the Demise of Neanderthals

For decades, scientists have studied the decline and eventual disappearance of Neanderthals, our closest extinct relatives. A recent study published in Scientific Reports¹ offers a unique perspective, focusing on the genetic makeup of their red blood cells. The research suggests that a rare blood group found in Neanderthals, linked to potential fatal complications in newborns, might have contributed to their downfall.

Incompatibility between a mother's and fetus's blood types, like Rh incompatibility, can have serious consequences. This occurs when an Rh-negative mother carries an Rh-positive fetus. While potentially life-threatening for the baby, this phenomenon might have also played a role in the decline of Neanderthals, highlighting the impact of blood type differences beyond modern human populations