Face of 75,000-year-old Neanderthal woman revealed by scientists who glued together 200 parts of her skull

Scientists at the University of Cambridge reconstructed the face of a 75,000-year-old Neanderthal woman, known as Shanidar Z, from 200 fragments of her skull. The reconstructed features suggest Neanderthals resembled modern humans more closely than previously thought, with a less prominent brow, stronger chin, and smaller nose.

The process involved piecing together the skull fragments by hand, a task likened to a complex 3D jigsaw puzzle. This detailed reconstruction helps illustrate how Neanderthals and early humans could have interbred, a theory supported by the presence of Neanderthal DNA in modern humans. Shanidar Z's remains were found in Iraq in 2018, likely preserved after being crushed by a rockslide.