Neanderthal's Revenge

Episode Summary

Executive Summary: Lulu Miller recounts her sudden Crohn’s diagnosis while in the midst of researching Neanderthals, initially imagining them as genetic “culprits” behind her illness. The episode follows her from a public ER to a private hospital room, where she learns that Neanderthals may not have caused Crohn’s, but may have contributed to healing knowledge, pain relief, and a more nuanced shared human history.

Main Topics: Personal illness and diagnosis (Priority: 5/5): Miller describes discovering blood in her stool, being diagnosed with Crohn’s disease after a colonoscopy, and the severe flare that left her exhausted, housebound, and eventually hospitalized. Neanderthals as a surprising obsession (Priority: 4/5): While coping with illness, Miller becomes fixated on Neanderthals, reframing them from the stereotypical brutish cave-dwellers into sophisticated, possibly artistic cousins to modern humans. Genetics, ancestry, and disease (Priority: 5/5): The story explores research linking Neanderthal DNA to immune-related conditions and whether Crohn’s disease traces back to Neanderthal inheritance or older Homo erectus ancestry. Hospitalization and care (Priority: 4/5): Miller contrasts the overcrowded, resource-strapped public hospital with a well-equipped private hospital, emphasizing how care, infrastructure, and basic comfort shaped her experience of illness. Neanderthal compassion and social support (Priority: 5/5): The episode examines evidence that Neanderthals cared for injured group members, especially Shanidar 1, suggesting advanced social behavior and mutual dependence. Possible medicinal knowledge from Neanderthals (Priority: 4/5): A tooth-tartar analysis from a Neanderthal in Spain suggests eating poplar leaves, implying knowledge of salicylic acid and early pain relief practices.

Key Arguments: Crohn’s disease is genetically complex; it cannot be attributed to a single ancestral source, and some risk factors predate both modern humans and Neanderthals. Neanderthal DNA still influences modern health, especially immune-related traits and disease susceptibility. Neanderthals were more cognitively and socially sophisticated than the outdated stereotype suggests. Evidence from Shanidar 1 indicates Neanderthals cared for severely injured individuals over extended periods, implying empathy and social obligation. A Neanderthal’s dental evidence suggests possible use of natural pain relief, showing practical knowledge of medicinal plants. Even if we cannot prove Neanderthals gave us compassion or hospitals, there is credible evidence they may have passed along useful healing knowledge.

Data Points: Time since symptoms began: about 10 months - Miller says she noticed blood in her poop roughly ten months before the diagnosis storyline. Crohn’s medication dose: 1 pill a day - Initial low-dose steroid prescribed after diagnosis. Bathroom frequency at worst: 15–30 times a day - Her symptoms escalated dramatically during the flare. Sleep disruption: multiple nights of waking to poop - She describes being unable to sleep and waking her spouse repeatedly. Hospital transfer delay: a couple of days - She spent days in the ER before getting a bed in another hospital. Neanderthal-human divergence: 1.5 to 2 million years ago - Presented in the ancestral timeline discussion involving Homo erectus. Neanderthal evidence age: 49,000 years old - Age of the El Sidrón 1 remains found in Spain. Shanidar 1 survival after injury: 10–15 years - Estimated length of time the injured Neanderthal lived with support from others. COVID risk increase: doubles to quadruples - A Neanderthal-derived genetic segment was said to increase ICU/death risk in hospitalized COVID patients.

Pivotal Quotes: "We got several autoimmune diseases from Neanderthal genes." — Dr. Karen Warren (referenced in lecture): This offhand comment triggers Miller’s search linking Neanderthal DNA and Crohn’s disease. "We share Crohn’s disease with Neanderthals, part of our legacy, in a way." — Omer Gokcumen: He argues Crohn’s-related variants are not solely Neanderthal-derived but part of a deeper shared evolutionary history. "Maybe they gave us aspirin. Maybe they gave us relief from pain." — Lulu Miller: Miller’s revised, more grounded interpretation of what Neanderthals may have contributed to humans.

Implications: The episode challenges simplistic stories about ancestry and disease, showing how genetics, archaeology, and care history intersect. It suggests Neanderthals were not just rivals but possible teachers whose legacy may still shape modern health and medicine.