A new study out of Tel Aviv suggests that the ancestors of Elephants and the ancestors of humans share characteristics which allowed them to live in Europe during the Ice Age.
Mammoths were a known food source for Neanderthals, the large animals providing the calories necessary for their survival.
The similarities are present in genes which are associated adaptation to cold environments. The three genetic expressions had to do with fat storage, keratin (the protein found in hair, nails, horns, claws, hooves, and skin), and pigmentation.
From the leader of the study: “Are there genetic similarities between evolutionary adaptation paths in Neanderthals and mammoths? The answer seems to be yes.”
