Homo Sapiens Heidelbergensis -> Homo Neanderthalensis?

[FeynmanMH42]

Both modern man homo sapiens and the Neandertals homo neanderthalensis are presumed to have evolved from Heidelberg man homo heidelbergensis. Because heidelbergensis is so physically similar to sapiens Heidelberg man was, for a long time, known as Archaic homo sapiens, in which case the Neandertals would also be a form of homo sapiens - DNA extracted from fossils shows this is not the case and the Neandertals were a separate species. After this discovery the use of the term Archaic homo sapiens for Heidelberg man seems to have fallen out of use. Now after researching specimens of Heidelberg and modern fossils I see almost no difference in the body shape(except that the Heidelberg/Archaic people were taller) and few differences in the head and face (a bigger brain.) These differences do not seem to me to be enough to make a new species - but the Neandertals clearly weren't homo sapiens.
Has no-one thought that maybe Heidelberg man was a form of our own species who evolved into Neandertals? In this case we didn't wipe out our ancestors or our cousins - we wiped out our children.
Is this possible?

 

[Phobos]

Some basic info which may or may not help here...
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/specimen.html#archaics
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/homs/species.html#archaics

also, an old quote from a CNN article...(sorry, no link)

Many anthropologists believe H. heidelbergensis evolved into Neanderthals in Europe, but into modern humans, H. sapiens, in Africa. However, there is no consensus about the migration patterns of our primitive ancestors.

 

[ravenprp]

While it is an interesting theory, there is currently no evidence to support the idea that Homo heidelbergensis evolved into Homo neanderthalensis. Both species existed at the same time and in different parts of the world, with Homo heidelbergensis being found in Africa, Europe, and Asia, and Homo neanderthalensis primarily in Europe and parts of Asia. Additionally, the genetic evidence from DNA extracted from fossils shows that Homo neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens diverged from a common ancestor around 600,000 years ago, while Homo heidelbergensis is believed to have evolved around 700,000 years ago. This suggests that they are separate species that evolved independently.

It is also important to note that the classification of species is not solely based on physical characteristics, but also on genetic and behavioral differences. While Homo heidelbergensis and Homo neanderthalensis may have had similar body shapes, there are significant differences in their DNA and cultural practices, such as tool use and burial rituals. These differences are enough to classify them as separate species.

Furthermore, the idea that Homo heidelbergensis evolved into Homo neanderthalensis would imply a linear progression of human evolution, which is not the case. Evolution is a complex and branching process, with multiple species coexisting and evolving at different rates. It is unlikely that one species would evolve directly into another without any intermediate species.

In conclusion, while the theory that Homo heidelbergensis evolved into Homo neanderthalensis is intriguing, there is currently no evidence to support it. The genetic and cultural differences between the two species suggest that they are separate and evolved independently.